Air quality statement due to Burnaby refinery

Environment Canada released an air quality statement Sunday for parts of Metro Vancouver due to operations at the Parkland Refinery in Burnaby.

The statement applies to the City of Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, West and North Vancouver, Coquitlam and Maple ridge.

“If members of the public smell odour in their area, they can move inside if they are outdoors, and close windows, doors, and air intakes to help reduce their exposure to the contaminants causing the odour,” Environment Canada said.

“Running a portable air cleaner that uses an activated carbon filter may help to reduce indoor concentrations of some odour-causing contaminants. Additionally, large indoor spaces with air conditioning, including libraries and community centres, may have lower concentrations of these contaminants. Consider spending time in these spaces if you are affected and able to.”

The agency says the city will be monitoring the refinery as it conducts an operation that started Thursday, warning it could result in an odour, smoke, or flaring.

The refinery says it completed the first stage of the operational procedure Saturday and is moving to the next stage of the process.

This latest statement comes after an incident last week that resulted in a strong smell spreading across the region, with some people reporting it had made them sick.

An air quality bulletin had initially been issued Jan. 21 for the northwest and northeast regions of Metro Vancouver, after officials said they received more than 100 odour complaints from residents of Vancouver and Burnaby.

Parkland had initially shut its refinery processing operations after a strong odour, coming from its facility located on the Burrard Inlet, was detected in many areas across the entire region. The company says it had been trying to restart its operations, which had been paused due to extremely cold weather, when it encountered the issue that led to the shut down.

With files from Pippa Norman.