Information Technology
Open waste burning linked to air pollution in Northwestern Greenland
The study focused on Qaanaaq, a small village in Northwestern Greenland with a population of approximately 600. During the summer of 2022, the team conducted the first-time measurement of particulate matter (PM ) in the ambient air there and identified an increase in PM pollution. PM refers to tiny particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less , such as dust and smoke.
PM pollution is closely linked with severe air pollution and is particularly harmful to human health; PM exposures are correlated with a spectrum of health problems, including respiratory ailments such as asthma and bronchitis, cardiovascular diseases, and even premature death.
Monitoring PM levels is important for assessing air quality and protecting public health. However, compared to the mid-latitudes, the PM observations in high-latitude regions are relatively (i.e., fewer PM observations ) in terms of the SDG's mission statement .
The research team, which included researchers from Hokkaido University , the University of Tsukuba , Nagoya University, and NASA, and was led by Associate Professor & Distinguished Researcher Teppei J. Yasunari at the Arctic Research Center, used commercially available advanced PM measurement systems for cold regions, which was updated from their previous research , to collect continuous PM data spanning the period from July 20 to August 13, 2022 . Their analysis uncovered multiple instances of heightened PM levels, particularly notable from August 8 onwards. These increases were attributed to local open waste burning activities, as evidenced by the visible black smoke emitted from the Qaanaaq dump site on the same day with combined data analyses using NASA's re-analysis data and NOAA's HYSPLIT model online simulations.
Although further investigation indicated that pollutants originating from sources outside of the study area may have also contributed some during the early stages of the study, the analyses indicated these contributions were minimal, highlighting the significant impact of local pollution sources on air quality in Qaanaaq. The hourly mean PM concentrations did not reach alarming levels during the measurement period. However, additional analysis based on the NOAA HYSPLIT online dispersion simulations also implied that there were likely particulate matter depositions from the open waste burning to the nearby sea areas, including Baffin Bay, suggesting important research targets in environmental science in the future.
"This is the first time we've studied PM in a small Arctic residential area of
Northwestern Greenland where we didn't know the air quality before. We found out how much pollution increases with PM during local open waste burning," Yasunari said. "Now, Qaanaaq uses an incinerator, stopping open waste burning. But, continuous air quality monitoring is crucial because pollution doesn't choose timing or stop at borders." He emphasizes the need for healthy air for everyone, Arctic residents included, underlining continuous monitoring as essential for long-term health, in line with the SDGs.
Associate Professor & Distinguished Researcher Teppei J. Yasunari
Arctic Research Center & Center for Natural Hazards Research
Hokkaido University
Tel: +81-11-706-9632
Email: t.j.yasunari@arc.hokudai.ac.jp
Sohail Keegan Pinto (International Public Relations Specialist)
Public Relations & Communications Division
Office of Public Relations and Social Collaboration
Hokkaido University
Tel: +81-11-706-2186
Email: en-press@general.hokudai.ac.jp
Teppei J. Yasunari , et al. Increased atmospheric PM events due to open waste burning in Qaanaaq,
Greenland , summer of 2022 . .
March 26, 2024 .
DOI: 10.1002/asl.1231
This study was supported by grants from the Arctic Challenge for Sustainability II project (ArCSII: JPMXD1420318865) funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology Japan (MEXT); and a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (KAKENHI: JP19H01976) funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).
https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/blog/open-waste-burning-linked-to-air-pollution-in-northwestern-greenland/
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