KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has released its air quality monitoring report on the March fire at the Riverton dump, citing that it was the “most detrimental” in the facility’s history.

The Report contains the findings and analysis of the ambient air quality data collected over the period 11-24 March 2015, and also up to March 30 “in order to gauge and account for the lingering effects of the fire which continued to smolder up to 29 March 2015”.

The 12-point findings are listed below:1. The fire at the Riverton Solid Waste Disposal Facility impacted negatively on the ambient air quality and on human health and wellbeing in Kingston and St Andrew and parts of St Catherine, including Portmore over the period under review.2. The fire is ranked as the most detrimental in the history of fires at the Riverton Solid Waste Disposal Facility if its impact on ambient air quality and the zone of influence is considered. Over the first seven days of the fire, ambient air quality with respect to PM10 is categorised as “Very High Risk” according to the Canadian and USEPA Air Quality Index, within a 5km radius of the foci of the fire.3. Even at distances of up to a 6km radius of the solid waste disposal facility the air quality with respect to PM10 is categorised as “High Risk” according to the Canadian and USEPA Air Quality Index.4. The WHO 24-hour average standard of 50µg/m3 and the Jamaica Ambient Air Quality 24-hour average Standard of 150 µg/m3 for PM10 was exceeded on Friday, 13 March 2015. The exceedances were recorded at both air monitoring sites on Marcus Garvey Drive. On Wednesday, 18 March 2015 the standard was exceeded at the JPS Ltd Spanish Town Road air monitoring site. The JPS Ltd site recorded the highest value of PM10 observed during the fire, of 192µg/m3. The data findings also show that on 13 March 2015, all monitoring locations were significantly impacted by PM10, with readings significantly higher than the annual average readings for the respective sites.5. Significantly high 24 hour particulate matter (PM10) readings above the WHO 24 hour average Standard (57µg/m3 – 192µg/m3) were recorded at all air monitoring locations for the first eight days of the fire, including the Waterford Fire Station, JPSCO Ltd. Spanish Town Road, Marcus Garvey Drive and as far as College Commons in Mona.6. Data sequestered from meteorological stations located on Marcus Garvey Drive and Spanish Town Road were used to generate three wind rose plots. The three wind rose plots show that the strongest winds were coming from the southeasterly direction during the period of the fire. Notably, very strong winds were experienced in the vicinity of the KMA during this period. The resultant wind vector from all the monitoring sites differed, which resulted in the smoke plume spreading throughout the KMA and further drifting to the southwestern sections of Portmore. Stronger winds were experienced during this fire compared with previous fires, which led to the distance the smoke plume travelled7. Twenty-six (26) VOCs were detected from the analyses done on the samples collected at the three monitoring locations (Table 3). Of the 26 VOCs detected, 16 were detected above the lower concentration limit of the analysis method of 0.2 µg/m. Benzene and compounds of benzene showed the highest increase in concentration with values ranging from 2µg/mto 15.3µg/mThe results also show that benzene attenuated most significantly during the firefighting efforts. Hence benzene was used as the indicator of the impact of these hazardous air pollutants from the fire. It must be noted that there is no established ambient air quality standard for benzene locally or in other jurisdictions, and so any exposure to benzene is considered a grave risk to public health.8. The maximum hourly average concentration of SOcommencement of the fire. 2 recorded at Spanish Town Road air monitoring site was 451µg/m3. This finding was recorded on 19 March 2015 along with the highest 24-hour average concentration for SO2 (127µg/m3). This 24 hour reading is significantly higher than the highest 24-hour average reading for SO2 recorded in 2014 at the Red Stripe monitoring site (highest reading recorded in 2014 was 90µg/m3). As such the elevated SO2 concentration may be attributed to the fire. A comparison of the results with the WHO Interim Target-2 and the WHO Air quality Guideline value for the SO2 24 hour averaging, revealed that there were three exceedances recorded; on the 19th, 22nd, and 23rd of March, of the interim target-2, and exceedances of the WHO Air Quality Guideline Value on 16 out of the 17 days monitored (See table 5). It must be noted that these air monitoring stations are all located east of the disposal site, upwind of the strongest prevailing winds. The latest results have revealed a return to ambient concentrations which existed prior to the9. The maximum hourly average of NO, 12 March 2015. The highest 24-hour average for NO2 32 2 2 recorded at Marcus Garvey Drive was 82µg/m3. This finding was recorded on Thursday (26µg/m) was recorded on Friday, 13 March 2015. No significant increase occurred with respect to NOconcentrations in the ambient air after the first three days of the fire. A comparison of the results with the WHO standard for the NO1 hour averaging revealed that there was no exceedance.10. The associated health and socio-economic impacts of the fire are not included in this Report. It is expected that the Ministry of Health will interpret the findings and predict the impact on human health. Similarly, other stakeholders in education and industry and commerce would have made insightful determination on the impact of the fire.11. PM2.5 was not evaluated, which is another particulate matter parameter that can be used to measure aggravated health related risks. Datasets on this parameter is not presently being collected within the KMA due to the unavailability of equipment.12. The Agency’s information is limited on the background concentrations of the priority air pollutants, which includes VOCs, dioxins, furans and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Routine monitoring is required for these pollutants, which would enable the determination of background concentrations to allow conclusive statements of environmental impacts during response monitoring exercises.Details of the findings can be accessed here.