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Whitby, Ontario – The Regional Municipality of Durham would like to advise residents that test results from an ambient air monitoring station at the Courtice Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) measured an exceedance for dioxins and furans on May 26. The Region of Durham maintains four off-site, ambient air monitoring stations as part of the requirements to operate the Durham York Energy Centre, set out by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MOECP). This is the first exceedance recorded by the ambient air monitoring stations for dioxins and furans since monitoring began.

The tests indicated dioxins/furans (D/F) concentration at the Courtice WPCP monitoring station was 0.109 PicoGrams Total Toxic Equivalency Concentration per Reference Cubic Metre (pg TEQ/Rm3) which is above Ontario Regulation 419/05 (Air Pollution – Local Air Quality) limit of 0.1 pg TEQ/Rm3. The test results have been shared with the MOECP.

Meteorological data recorded for the day, (wind direction and duration) indicate that it is highly unlikely that the DYEC was a significant contributing source of D/F on May 26, 2018. Additional emissions monitoring data and reports can be found on the DYEC website.

The Durham York Energy Centre, located in Courtice, is Durham Region’s primary longterm disposal option for waste and only processes the household waste remaining after Durham and York Regions’ aggressive composting, recycling and reuse programs. Both regions are leaders in waste diversion with diversion rates consistently above 50 percent. For more information on the Durham York Energy Centre, visit durhamyorkwaste.ca, call 1-800-667-5671, or email info@durhamyorkwaste.ca.

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Media inquiries:
Corporate Communications Office (CCO) The Regional Municipality of Durham CorporateCommunications@durham.ca 905-668-7711 ext. 2036 Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.