Alberta's Ambient Air Quality Objectives are intended to provide protection of the environment and human health to an extent technically and economically feasible, as well as socially and politically acceptable. The following document summarizes these objectives.

Use of Objectives

The objectives are used to:

  • Assess compliance near major industrial air emission sources
  • Establish approval conditions for regulated industrial facilities
  • Evaluate proposals for constructing facilities
  • Guide special ambient air quality surveys
  • Inform Albertans on air quality through an air quality index
  • Report on the state of Alberta's atmospheric environment

Alberta Environment and Parks ensures that emissions from human activities will be minimized and that air quality continues to be better than the Ambient Air Quality Objectives.

Factors Objectives are based on

These objectives are based on scientific, social, technical and economic factors that include:

  • Monitoring
    Can the substance be routinely monitored in the atmosphere?
  • Natural levels and fluctuations
    Do substances fluctuate as they enter the atmosphere from natural but uncontrollable sources (for example, forest fires)?
  • Sensitive receptors
    Is one component of the environment or one stage in an organism's development more sensitive than another?
  • Substance behaviour in the atmosphere
    What reactions do a substance undergo and how long is the substance in the air?
  • Substance behaviour in the environment
    Can the substance bioaccumulate or biodegrade after entering the environment?
  • Technological availability
    What is the cost and availability of technology to control or avoid emissions?

Consultation

The department has been reviewing ambient air quality objectives by multi-stakeholder consultation since 2000. Alberta now has air quality objectives for more than 30 substances that could be released to the atmosphere.

Ambient Air Quality Objectives Mailing List

The department has an automatic emailing system that will distribute information on ambient air quality objectives to those who subscribe to the list. Subscription to this list is open to all department staff, industry, NGOs and consultants, as well as members of the general public.

Please check that your email address is correct before you subscribe. If you do not receive a confirmation email after you have subscribed your subscription was not successful.

All fields are required unless otherwise indicated.

The personal information collected through the Ambient Air Quality Objectives webpage may be used for the purpose of providing you with an Ambient Air Quality Objectives Mailing List subscription to receive provincial air quality policy and modelling updates.

This personal information collection is authorized under Section 8 (1) (2) of the Government Organization Act, and is being managed in accordance with Section 33 (c) of the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

If you have any questions about this collection of personal information, you may contact the Senior Ambient Standards Specialist at 780-427-4979 or by email at: [email protected]

Industrial air management

The following document is a guideline for the implementation of Ambient Air Quality Objectives (AAQO) and their use in air dispersion modelling and ambient air monitoring.

Ambient Air Quality Objectives and supporting documents

The AAQO documents provide a short description of the substance, the effects and the objective levels. The supporting documents are detailed reports providing scientific and technical information on the substances.

2-Ethylhexanol

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: 2-Ethylhexanol

Acetone

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Acetone

Acrolein

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Acrolein

Acrylic Acid

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Acrylic Acid

Acrylonitrile

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Acrylonitrile

Ammonia

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Ammonia

Arsenic

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Arsenic

Benzene

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Benzene

Benzo(a)pyrene

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Benzo(a)pyrene

Carbon Disulphide

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Carbon Disulphide

Cumene

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Cumene

Ethylbenzene

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Ethylbenzene

Ethylene

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Ethylene

Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)

Formaldehyde

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Formaldehyde

Hexane

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Hexane

Hydrogen Fluoride

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Hydrogen Fluoride

Isopropanol

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Isopropanol

Manganese

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Manganese

Naphthalene

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Naphthalene

Nickel

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Nickel

Nitrogen Dioxide

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Nitrogen Dioxide

Ozone

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Ozone

Pentachlorophenol

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Pentachlorophenol

Propylene Oxide

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Propylene Oxide

Sulphur Dioxide

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Sulphur Dioxide

Toluene

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Toluene

Xylenes

Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives: Xylenes