Cruise Ship Pollution Reaches New Levels

VICTORIA - We welcome the cruise ships every year. To our economy their visits are worth millions. But people in James Bay may be paying the price with their health. A recent study of air quality near Ogden Point shows that at the height of the cruise ship season sulphur dioxide levels are dangerously high.
"Levels that were recorded in James Bay were higher than the World Health Organization standards," says Mike Pennock, a Population Health Epidemiologist with the Vancouver Island Health Authority. Pennock was also one of the authors of the report. He says the levels were two to three times what is accepted. "it's a level that can exacerbate existing respiratory problems."

Experts say that when the cruise ships are in, it's like breathing in the air on a medium pollution day in a mill town like Prince George. MLA Rob Fleming says the problem can be solved by plugging ships into shore power, "We should be joining other ports like Vancouver and Seattle who are going to clean energy supply and requiring that while ships are in port."

The Greater Victoria Harbour authority says it isn't feasable, citing information from BC Hydro that estimates costs to upgrade the current system at tens of millions of dollars.

Shore power, however, may not be the only solution. If the cruise ship companies can agree to use sulphur-free fuel, it could clear the air on the issue and people in James Bay can breath a little more easily. Health officials are optimistic, "we've had some initial discussions with the cruise ship association and they seem quite amenable to sitting down and coming up with some kind of voluntary solution to it," says Pennock.

Strict new rules will require all cruise ships burn cleaner fuel by the year 2016.

The BC Centre for Disease Control is reviewing the findings and is expected to make recommendations in the coming weeks.

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