Canada’s Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory Report 2025: chapter 2.7
2.7 Lead
In 2023, approximately 93 tonnes (t) of lead (Pb) were emitted in Canada (Table 2–9). Ore and Mineral Industries were the largest contributor at 79% (74 t) of emissions, with the Non-Ferrous Refining and Smelting Industry sector accounting for the largest share at 70% (65 t) of total Pb emissions. Transportation and Mobile Equipment was the second-largest contributor at 15% (14 t) of total emissions, almost all of which came from the Air Transportation (Landing and Takeoff [LTO]) sector.
Overall, Pb emissions decreased by 91% (930 t) from 1990 to 2023 (Figure 2–7). This decreasing trend is attributable partly to the closure of outdated smelters and partly to the implementation, since 2005, of pollution prevention plans and facilities achieving BLIERs for particulate matters through environmental performance agreements (ECCC, 2017, 2018a). Although, since 2013, Pb emissions attributed to the Non-Ferrous Refining and Smelting Industry sector have fluctuated, in general the trend is decreasing. It should also be noted that even though BLIERs were written with focus on particulate matters, reduction of Pb emissions over the years has been an additional positive outcome. Since 2020, Pb emissions in Ore and Mineral industries have become sensitive to the inter-annual fluctuations in sampling results from operations at a single facility that accounts for 74 to 93% of emissions from the Non-Ferrous Refining and Smelting Industry. Other sectors aside from the Ore and Mineral Industries and the Manufacturing category also showed decreases since 1990 but to a lesser extent, having a minimized impact on the overall Pb emission trends compared to the Non-Ferrous Refining and Smelting Industry sector.
The most significant changes in Pb emissions from 1990 to 2023 include:
- Ore and Mineral Industries: decrease of 92% (876 t), with:
- Non-Ferrous Refining and Smelting Industry: decrease of 93% (821 t)
Figure 2–7: Trends in Canadian Pb Emissions (1990 to 2023)
Long description for Figure 2-7
Figure 2–7: Trends in Canadian Lead Emissions for 1990 to 2023.
Figure 2–7 is a stacked area graph displaying the four major contributors to national lead trends. These are the following: Non-Ferrous Refining and Smelting Industry, Other, Iron and Steel Industry, and Air Transportation (Landing and Takeoff). The figure shows that lead emissions decreased significantly between 1990 and 2023 and that Non-Ferrous Refining and Smelting Industry is the biggest contributor to emissions in all years. The following table displays the contributions (t) for the years 1990 to 2023.
| 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 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Ferrous Refining and Smelting Industry | 886 | 848 | 899 | 474 | 1010 | 624 | 698 | 535 | 454 | 439 | 437 | 368 | 332 | 236 | 178 | 134 | 171 | 171 | 161 | 159 | 132 | 97 | 89 | 75 | 87 | 112 | 113 | 131 | 112 | 87 | 82 | 62 | 96 | 65 |
| Air Transportation (LTO) | 13 | 10 | 8.7 | 8.5 | 7.9 | 9.5 | 10 | 9.3 | 9.8 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 8.8 | 7.5 | 8.8 | 7.9 | 8.6 | 8.9 | 11 | 11 | 9.1 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 14 |
| Other | 69 | 69 | 68 | 101 | 113 | 67 | 59 | 110 | 118 | 76 | 92 | 146 | 97 | 105 | 101 | 91 | 92 | 84 | 73 | 53 | 44 | 33 | 23 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 11 |
| Iron and Steel Industry | 55 | 55 | 55 | 81 | 83 | 72 | 74 | 60 | 54 | 16 | 8.3 | 19 | 16 | 27 | 25 | 5.7 | 5.9 | 6.6 | 6.0 | 4.5 | 6.3 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 5.2 | 6.1 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 3.1 |
Table 2–9: National Summary of Annual Pb Emissions
| Source | 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ore and Mineral Industries | 950,000 | 500,000 | 220,000 | 130,000 | 100,000 | 94,000 | 74,000 | 110,000 | 74,000 |
| Aluminium Industry (Ore and Mineral Industries) | 120 | 100 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Asphalt Paving Industry (Ore and Mineral Industries) | 1,400 | 1,200 | 1,200 | 980 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,100 | 940 | 960 |
| Cement and Concrete Industry (Ore and Mineral Industries) | 550 | 610 | 950 | 400 | 500 | 350 | 350 | 210 | 230 |
| Foundries (Ore and Mineral Industries) | 4,800 | 14,000 | 8,900 | 1,300 | 1,900 | 1,900 | 1,300 | 1,500 | 1,300 |
| Iron and Steel Industry (Ore and Mineral Industries) | 55,000 | 8,300 | 5,700 | 6,200 | 4,900 | 4,800 | 5,400 | 4,800 | 3,100 |
| Iron Ore Pelletizing (Ore and Mineral Industries) | NA | NA | NA | 2,900 | 3,100 | 2,400 | 2,300 | 2,200 | 1,600 |
| Mineral Products Industry (Ore and Mineral Industries) | 1,500 | 440 | 0.090 | NA | NA | 2.7 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 41 |
| Mining and Rock Quarrying (Ore and Mineral Industries) | NA | 42,000 | 65,000 | 1,600 | 2,300 | 1,500 | 1,800 | 1,300 | 1,200 |
| Non-Ferrous Refining and Smelting Industry (Ore and Mineral Industries) | 890,000 | 440,000 | 130,000 | 110,000 | 87,000 | 82,000 | 62,000 | 96,000 | 65,000 |
| Oil and Gas Industry | 340 | 300 | 720 | 570 | 420 | 550 | 580 | 510 | 610 |
| Electric Power Generation (Utilities) | 11,000 | 15,000 | 1,900 | 1,300 | 1,500 | 1,200 | 1,200 | 950 | 910 |
| Manufacturing | 43,000 | 14,000 | 7,400 | 4,000 | 3,000 | 2,500 | 2,600 | 2,600 | 2,200 |
| Chemicals Industry (Manufacturing) | 12,000 | 300 | 1,800 | 30 | 16 | 61 | 35 | 53 | 39 |
| Metal Fabrication (Manufacturing) | 16,000 | 5,200 | 760 | 480 | 440 | 430 | 270 | 230 | 310 |
| Vehicle Manufacturing (Engines, Parts, Assembly, Painting) (Manufacturing) | 7,200 | 3,800 | 790 | 67 | 88 | 52 | 69 | 64 | 59 |
| Other Manufacturing Sectors (Manufacturing) | 7,800 | 4,400 | 4,100 | 3,500 | 2,500 | 2,000 | 2,200 | 2,200 | 1,800 |
| Transportation and Mobile Equipment | 14,000 | 11,000 | 11,000 | 13,000 | 15,000 | 13,000 | 14,000 | 14,000 | 14,000 |
| Air Transportation (LTO) (Transportation and Mobile Equipment) | 13,000 | 9,400 | 8,800 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 12,000 | 14,000 | 13,000 | 14,000 |
| Other Transportation and Mobile Equipment Sectors (Transportation and Mobile Equipment) | 1,600 | 1,800 | 1,800 | 1,100 | 540 | 740 | 520 | 1,000 | 660 |
| Agriculture | 30 | 30 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 21 |
| Commercial/Residential/Institutional | 4,500 | 3,100 | 3,200 | 2,000 | 1,800 | 1,600 | 1,400 | 1,500 | 1,400 |
| Incineration and Waste | 380 | 370 | 390 | 180 | 160 | 120 | 160 | 180 | 130 |
| Paints and Solvents | NA | 16 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Dust | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Fires | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Grand Total | 1,000,000 | 550,000 | 240,000 | 150,000 | 120,000 | 110,000 | 95,000 | 130,000 | 93,000 |
Notes:
Totals may not add up due to rounding.
0.00 Indicates emissions were truncated due to rounding.
NA Indicates no emissions.
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