Oil sands operations in Canada are emitting more compounds that contribute to atmospheric pollution than previously thought. This is according to a new study led by an international team of chemical and environmental engineers, who found that Canada's tar sands (through oil sands extraction) are producing greater pollutants into the air, causing damage to the atmosphere amid the climate crisis.
The scientists collected samples of tar sands in the oil sand region of the country, determining that toxic emissions were above average by normal levels. While the complete repercussions of tar sand extraction on a regional or global scale remain unclear currently, many of these gaseous organic carbon compounds are known to cause health problems that can be severe or cause life-threatening conditions.
In recent years, atmospheric pollution or exposure to air pollution has been strongly linked to multiple chronic diseases, including lung cancer, ischaemic heart disease, pulmonary disease, and stroke according to the World Health Organization (WHO). These air pollutants are in addition to the greenhouse gases such as carbon and methane that contribute to climate change and global warming.
Canada Oil Sands Operations
A general view shows an oil sand mining operation and facility near Fort McKay, Alberta, on September 7, 2022. - At Fort McKay near Fort McMurray in western Canada, in the heart of the country's boreal forest, the pines and the people were long ago cleared out to make way for huge open-pit mines dedicated to the excavation of oil sands.
The new research paper published in the journal Science shows that total organic carbon assessments from oil sands operations in Canada uncovered major gaps in petrochemical emissions reporting. The engineers in the study arrived at their conclusion under the premise that air pollution from these compounds comes from a long-criticized practice described as dirty, in an environmental perspective.
While there are various contributing factors to atmospheric pollution worldwide, the international research team chose an emerging oil source in the Canadian landscape, called the Athabasca oil sands region in Canada's Alberta province. Over the past decade, Canada's tar sands have become its major source of oil production, which the team found to be more climate-damaging than previously thought.
Also Read: Canada Falls Behind its Climate Goals: What Went Wrong?
Athabasca Oil Sands
The Athabasca oil sands, also called Athabasca tar sands, is located in northeastern Alberta, where large deposits of heavy crude oil can be found. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Athabasca sands region is one of the world's largest reserves of oil, with the deposits covering an area of about 142,200 square kilometers (54,900 square miles) and is slightly larger than the state of Wisconsin.
The "oil sands region" accounts for the largest part of Alberta's economy, the USGS says. However, oil extraction in the region has also drawn criticism from environmentalists before. In the Science study published on January 25, the researchers collected oil sand samples and found dangerous toxicity levels ranging from an average of 1,900% to more than 6,300%.
Following their study, the team submitted their findings to Canada's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in 2015, the Canadian tar sands oil is the center of a raging debate about "dirty energy," with related conversations dating back 300 years ago.
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