Air Pollution

In addition to greenhouse gases, oil sands operations release large volumes of pollutants into the air.

• These emissions include nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter.1
• These chemicals are known to affect human health and contribute to air pollution problems.2

Producing a barrel of bitumen creates more than twice as much nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide emissions as producing a barrel of conventional oil.3

• Annual emissions from oil sands operations in 2005:
  • 70,000 tonnes of nitrogen oxides4
  • 147,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide5
  • 59,000 tonnes of volatile organic compounds6

• Projected annual emissions from oil sands operations in 2015:
  • 196,000 tonnes of nitrogen oxides7
  • 166,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide8
  • 300,000 tonnes of volatile organic compounds9

Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are major contributors to acid rain formation.

• Northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, which are downwind from the oil sands operations, are highly sensitive to acid rain.10

 

1. 1. Environment Canada, “Clean Air Online: Petroleum and Renewable Energy” (2005), (accessed November 1, 2009).
2. 2. Environment Canada, National Pollutant Release Inventory, 2007 Summary, section 3.1.1.1 “Criteria Air Contaminants” (accessed May 14, 2009).
3. 3. J. Bergerson and D. Keith, “Life cycle assessment of oil sands technologies,” Proceedings of the Alberta Energy Futures Project Workshop, 2006.
4. 4. Environment Canada, “Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) Emissions for Canada” (accessed September 11, 2007).
5. 5. Environment Canada (accessed March 2009).
6. 6. Environment Canada, “Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Emissions for Canada” (accessed September 11, 2007).
7. 7. Environment Canada, “Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) Emissions for Canada” (accessed September 11, 2007).
8. 8. Environment Canada (accessed March 2009).
9. 9. Environment Canada, “Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Emissions for Canada” (accessed September 11, 2007).
10. 10. Environment Canada, “Acid Rain ... The Facts” (accessed March 10, 2009).