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Canada’s Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory Report 2022: chapter 2.1

2.1 Particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5 microns in diameter

In 2020, approximately 1.4 million tonnes (Mt) of particulate matter less or equal to 2.5 microns in diameters (PM2.5) were emitted in Canada (Table 2–3). Dust sources accounted for 62% (881 kt) of total PM2.5 emissions, with the most important dust sources being Construction Operations at 35% (507 kt) and Unpaved Roads at 25% (353 kt) of total PM2.5 emissions. Agriculture was the second-largest contributor and accounted for 24% (349 kt) of PM2.5 emissions, almost all of which are attributed to Crop Production (24% or 347 kt). In these sectors, PM is largely emitted by non-combustion sources.

Commercial/Residential/Institutional sources accounted for 7.0% (100 kt) of total PM2.5 emissions in 2020, with the most important contributor being Home Firewood Burning at 5.6% (80 kt) of total PM2.5 emissions. All other Commercial/Residential/Institutional sources accounted for less than 1.5% of total PM2.5 emissions.

Overall, emissions of PM2.5 decreased from 1990 to 2009, gradually increased from 2009 to 2019, and have decreased between 2019 to 2020 (Figure 2–1). The downward trend between 1990 to 2009 was influenced predominantly by decreasing emissions from Crop Production and Home Firewood Burning. Emissions from Crop Production decreased for the period from 1990 to 2011 owing to a reduction in summer fallow and the adoption of conservation tillage practices, and were offset by an increase in wind erosion emissions resulting from increased production of pulse crops until 2016 when the proportion of pulse crops began to decrease relative to other less emission intensive crops. Decreased emissions from Home Firewood Burning are due to the reduction in the use of conventional fireplaces and wood stoves, which have been replaced with fireplace inserts, furnaces and stoves with improved emission controls and combustion efficiencies. Emissions of dust from Construction Operations decreased until 2002, increased until 2012 and have since stabilized. Emissions of PM2.5 from Unpaved Roads followed a more gradual, consistent increasing trend from 1990 through to 2019, but experienced a decrease of 58 kt (14%) between 2019 and 2020. This emission reduction is linked to a decrease in the vehicle kilometres traveled (VKT) between the years 2019 and 2020. The trend in PM2.5 emissions from roads is driven predominantly by the use of unpaved roads in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.   

The most significant changes in PM2.5 emissions from 1990 to 2020 include:    

Figure 2–1: Trends in Canadian PM2.5 emissions (1990 to 2020)

Figure 2-1 (See long description below)
Long description for Figure 2–1

Figure 2–1 is a stacked area graph displaying the five major contributors to national PM2.5 trends. They are the following: Construction Operations, Paved and Unpaved Roads, Crop Production, Other, and Home Firewood Burning. The figure shows that Construction Operations have the biggest share in the total national PM2.5 emissions in 2020. The following table displays the contributions (kt) for the years 1990 to 2020.

Figure 2-1: Trends in Canadian PM2.5 emissions (1990 to 2020) (kt)
Sector 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Construction Operations 239 230 219 197 241 190 232 287 148 167 148 151 128 142 153 170 223 295 376 274 365 413 507 506 506 507 506 507 507 507 507
Crop Production 672 665 650 636 622 608 594 580 567 553 540 526 507 487 467 448 428 415 401 388 375 362 365 368 371 374 377 368 360 352 347
Paved and Unpaved Roads 254 240 248 251 265 277 277 294 301 315 312 337 334 337 332 332 334 348 348 361 365 372 389 404 390 408 411 419 429 434 373
Home Firewood Burning 140 140 146 146 141 136 138 135 108 103 104 89 85 79 83 84 82 95 95 95 83 88 83 89 89 85 79 77 85 87 80
Other 377 356 332 345 342 344 322 304 294 290 283 254 226 237 213 210 184 178 174 161 159 151 148 139 145 136 128 131 130 129 126

Table 2-3: National summary of annual PM2.5 emissions

Notes:
Totals may not add up due to rounding.
0.00 Indicates emissions were truncated due to rounding.
- Indicates no emissions

Ore and Mineral Industries (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Sub-total 53 000 50 000 41 000 31 000 31 000 35 000 34 000 34 000 34 000
Aluminium Industry 5 400 4 500 5 100 3 300 3 400 3 400 3 100 3 100 3 400
Asphalt Paving Industry 1 700 1 500 1 300 1 200 1 200 1 300 1 200 1 300 1 200
Cement and Concrete Industry 11 000 9 700 12 000 7 900 7 200 8 000 8 000 7 800 7 100
Foundries 4 500 4 100 4 400 4 100 4 100 4 200 4 200 4 100 3 800
Iron and Steel Industry 11 000 9 400 5 100 2 400 2 200 2 500 2 600 2 700 2 200
Iron Ore Pelletizing 650 3 900 1 200 830 900 790 690 790 680
Mineral Products Industry 1 300 1 100 950 320 290 230 290 230 230
Mining and Rock Quarrying 9 300 10 000 7 000 8 500 10 000 13 000 13 000 13 000 15 000
Non-Ferrous Mining and Smelting Industry 8 600 5 600 4 100 2 100 1 700 1 300 1 000 650 570
Oil and Gas Industry (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Sub-total 12 000 14 000 13 000 1 2000 11 000 12 000 12 000 12 000 12 000
Downstream Oil and Gas Industry 5 100 4 900 4 600 1 400 1 500 1 500 1 600 1 500 1 500
Upstream Oil and Gas Industry 7 100 9 000 8 000 11 000 9 600 11 000 11 000 11 000 11 000
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Sub-total 48 000 23 000 8 900 3 500 3 400 3 300 3 200 2 800 2 400
Coal 46 000 20 000 5 000 2 400 2 200 2 200 2 200 1 800 1 500
Diesel 270 410 400 210 220 180 190 190 170
Natural Gas 1 200 1 900 1 700 420 390 340 350 290 300
Waste Materials 0.41 1.6 1.0 2.3 2.6 2.8 2.1 1.6 2.1
Other (Electric Power Generation) 1 300 730 1 800 460 550 530 460 470 430
Manufacturing (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Sub-total 110 000 76 000 45 000 19 000 17 000 17 000 17 000 16 000 16 000
Abrasives Manufacturing 390 210 200 15 14 15 17 11 8.3
Bakeries 0.54 0.54 0.43 7.3 7.5 6.7 10 12 11
Biofuel Production - - - 4.6 5.8 6.1 3.7 2.9 1.5
Chemicals Industry 4 800 4 500 4 100 1 300 1 300 1 200 1 500 1 400 1 300
Electronics 120 39 5.7 0.91 0.89 0.88 0.82 0.54 0.57
Food Preparation 1 400 2 100 1 700 740 720 720 660 670 680
Glass Manufacturing 920 1 300 1 100 150 160 130 140 160 160
Grain Industry 2 200 2 900 2 000 3 300 3 400 3 500 3 500 2 600 3 000
Metal Fabrication 780 1 200 890 400 410 440 400 430 400
Plastics Manufacturing 150 170 120 53 57 56 61 61 68
Pulp and Paper Industry 61 000 25 000 18 000 7 600 6 900 7 200 6 800 6 300 6 100
Textiles 16 23 18 1.2 1.3 1.2 1.2 0.99 0.34
Vehicle Manufacturing (Engines, Parts, Assembly, Painting) 1 600 1 500 560 180 170 170 200 190 140
Wood Products 35 000 28 000 14 000 4 700 3 800 3 600 3 800 4 300 4 300
Other (Manufacturing) 6 300 8 900 3 000 190 210 210 200 260 220
Transportation and Mobile Equipment (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Sub-total 88 000 86 000 69 000 35 000 31 000 33 000 34 000 34 000 31 000
Air Transportation (LTO) 430 350 320 280 270 280 300 290 190
Domestic Marine Navigation, Fishing and Military 3 800 4 600 5 200 1 400 1 400 1 500 1 500 1 600 1 400
Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicles 15 000 15 000 17 000 8 600 8 400 8 800 9 300 9 200 8 600
Heavy-Duty Gasoline Vehicles 3 500 2 300 2 100 920 980 990 1 000 1 000 930
Heavy-Duty LPG/NG Vehicles 600 680 160 1.2 1.8 3.3 3.3 3.1 3.5
Light-Duty Diesel Trucks 13 14 15 15 16 19 21 21 19
Light-Duty Diesel Vehicles 49 26 16 13 13 13 12 12 8.8
Light-Duty Gasoline Trucks 2 000 2 400 1 600 1 200 1 300 1 300 1 400 1 400 1 300
Light-Duty Gasoline Vehicles 5 000 3 600 2 200 1 100 1 100 1 100 1 100 1 100 870
Light-Duty LPG/NG Trucks 180 83 36 0.41 0.44 0.52 0.53 0.51 0.31
Light-Duty LPG/NG Vehicles 23 12 5.3 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Motorcycles 22 21 23 20 21 22 22 22 18
Off-Road Diesel Vehicles and Equipment  41 000 42 000 29 000 13 000 10 000 11 000 12 000 12 000 11 000
Off-Road Gasoline/LPG/NG Vehicles and Equipment 13 000 10 000 6 800 4 200 3 700 3 800 3 900 3 800 3 600
Rail Transportation 3 600 3 400 3 300 2 000 1 800 1 900 2 000 2 000 1 900
Tire Wear and Brake Lining 730 1 100 1 200 1 500 1 500 1 600 1 600 1 600 1 400
Agriculture (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Sub-total 670 000 540 000 450 000 380 000 380 000 370 000 360 000 350 000 350 000
Animal Production 1 700 2 100 2 300 2 000 2 100 2 100 2 100 2 100 2 000
Crop Production 670 000 540 000 450 000 370 000 380 000 370 000 360 000 350 000 350 000
Agricultural Fuel Combustion 120 140 130 290 290 280 260 260 220
Commercial/Residential/Institutional (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Sub-total 160 000 120 000 110 000 100 000 99 000 98 000 110 000 110 000 100 000
Commercial and Institutional Fuel Combustion 2 000 2 600 2 600 2 300 2 400 2 600 2 700 2 900 2 800
Commercial Cooking  14 000 15 000 17 000 15 000 15 000 15 000 15 000 15 000 16 000
Construction Fuel Combustion  180 110 150 130 140 140 140 150 150
Home Firewood Burning  140 000 100 000 84 000 85 000 79 000 77 000 85 000 87 000 80 000
Human - - - - - - - - -
Marine Cargo Handling  190 140 110 68 85 87 81 76 48
Residential Fuel Combustion 2 400 2 600 2 500 2 300 2 100 2 300 2 500 2 300 2 200
Service Stations - - - - - - - - -
Other (Miscellaneous) - - - - - - - - -
Incineration and Waste (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Sub-total 3 100 3 200 3 300 2 600 2 600 2 600 2 700 2 700 2 700
Crematoriums 2.3 3.3 4.2 6.1 6.4 6.8 7.0 7.1 7.8
Waste Incineration 2 400 2 500 2 700 2 100 2 100 2 200 2 200 2 200 2 200
Waste Treatment and Disposal 660 670 640 470 450 460 480 510 510
Paints and Solvents (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Sub-total 3.7 7.1 25 15 16 23 23 24 21
Dry Cleaning 0.32 0.32 1.2 6.1 4.5 14 13 14 11
General Solvent Use - - - - - - - - -
Printing 3.0 6.4 23 8.2 9.8 7.4 7.3 8.2 4.4
Surface Coatings 0.37 0.37 0.94 1.0 1.5 1.5 2.4 2.3 4.9
Dust (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Sub-total 490 000 460 000 500 000 920 000 920 000 930 000 940 000 940 000 880 000
Coal Transportation 320 300 240 230 250 220 220 230 200
Construction Operations 240 000 150 000 170 000 510 000 510 000 510 000 510 000 510 000 510 000
Mine Tailings 270 300 320 620 580 660 690 710 720
Paved Roads 24 000 19 000 19 000 22 000 22 000 22 000 22 000 23 000 20 000
Unpaved Roads 230 000 290 000 310 000 390 000 390 000 400 000 410 000 410 000 350 000
Fires (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Sub-total 36 000 6 900 4 500 10 000 9 100 4 800 2 900 3 200 2 500
Prescribed Burning 36 000 6 600 4 200 10 000 8 900 4 600 2 700 3 000 2 300
Structural Fires 350 280 260 190 190 190 200 190 220
Totals (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Ore and Mineral Industry 53 000 50 000 41 000 31 000 31 000 35 000 34 000 34 000 34 000
Oil and Gas Industry 12 000 14 000 13 000 1 2000 11 000 12 000 12 000 12 000 12 000
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) 48 000 23 000 8 900 3 500 3 400 3 300 3 200 2 800 2 400
Manufacturing 110 000 76 000 45 000 19 000 17 000 17 000 17 000 16 000 16 000
Transportation and Mobile Equipment 88 000 86 000 69 000 35 000 31 000 33 000 34 000 34 000 31 000
Agriculture 670 000 540 000 450 000 380 000 380 000 370 000 360 000 350 000 350 000
Commercial/Residential/Institutional 160 000 120 000 110 000 100 000 99 000 98 000 110 000 110 000 100 000
Incineration and Waste 3 100 3 200 3 300 2 600 2 600 2 600 2 700 2 700 2 700
Paints and Solvents 3.7 7.1 25 15 16 23 23 24 21
Dust 490 000 460 000 500 000 920 000 920 000 930 000 940 000 940 000 880 000
Fires 36 000 6 900 4 500 10 000 9 100 4 800 2 900 3 200 2 500
Grand Total 1 700 000 1 400 000 1 200 000 1 500 000 1 500 000 1 500 000 1 500 000 1 500 000 1 400 000

Note:
Refer to Annex 4.4 for more information on international marine navigation and air transportation reporting emissions.

Other emissions estimated in the APEI (tonnes)
Sector 1990 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Domestic Air Transportation (Cruise) 370 480 330 280 280 300 320 330 180
International Air Transportation (Cruise) 520 580 570 480 500 540 620 640 290
International Marine Navigation 6 000 8 700 10 000 2 300 2 300 2 300 2 300 2 300 1 900
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