To stop black soot from falling on homes, Hamilton looks to do its own testing and not rely on Ontario

After decades of black soot routinely coating homes and playgrounds near Hamilton's industrial sector — and no clear answers about what the Ontario government is doing to address it — city officials are pushing for change. 

Ontario's Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) is the agency that responds to residents' complaints about industrial-linked pollution, collects and analyses samples, and compiles data. It also has the power to charge companies that aren't following pollution rules. 

But in a new motion, Councillors Tammy Hwang and Nrinder Nann are requesting the city's public health department develop its own testing program. That way, the city would have a better idea of what's in the soot, the health impacts and potential responses. 

The councillors represent wards encompassing Hamilton's industrial sector. They and councillors before them have received regular complaints from residents about the black soot that their offices pass on to MECP, Hwang said. 

"But with no improvement to the quality of life for residents, nor indication from MECP that they are addressing the issue ... we need public health to intervene," her motion said. 

The motion asks for public health staff to develop options for testing black soot residue in Wards 2, 3 and 4 with a third-party company, and report back in the summer. It was unanimously approved at the public health subcommittee meeting Monday and will need council's final say in the coming weeks. 

Hwang told the subcommittee that falling black soot is thought to be coming from industries when they burn wood and fossil fuels. The soot is usually black carbon, a component of fine particulate air pollution that negatively impacts human health, the environment and climate, her motion said. 

Fine particulate matter can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, decrease lung function, and worsen lung and heart conditions, according to Health Canada. 

A recent University of Toronto study found benzo(a)pyrene levels were higher than provincial guidelines in all urban areas of Hamilton, not only near the industrial area. 

"My hope is that we come up with a better game plan to keep industry accountable and try to change the tide of almost 30 years of this type of behaviour," said Hwang. 

MECP did not provide a comment before publication. 

Black soot 'very unnerving'

In recent years, residents have been reporting a sticky grime that's hard to wipe off skin and clothes. 

Nick Kewin, who lives in the city's north end with his partner and kids, said black soot is usually found on everything outside, especially in the summer. 

"And if that's not disconcerting enough, you don't know what it is," Kewin told the public health subcommittee. "You don't know if this material is impacting your life, or your health or your children's health, and it's very unnerving." 

He's reported the black soot to MECP many times, only to be told by provincial officials that they checked with industries and no incidents occurred that would've caused the pollution. 

"It feels like gas lighting, like it didn't happen," Kewin said. 

He said that as far as he knows, MECP has never sampled soot from his property.

Alex McGillvray was born and raised in Ward 3 and currently works for Nann's office. She told the subcommittee she remembers as a child the black soot being part of everyday life then too. She remembers being covered in it after playing outside and it being hard to get off even in a bath. 

"These experiences were 35 years ago and eerily similar to the experiences we are hearing from other residents today," she said. "It's not acceptable. The people of the lower city deserve more, and better." 

Public health staff said MECP has gathered upwards of 70 samples from Wards 3 and 4 over the last two years, but the city has yet to see the results. 

"We haven't heard back from them about any recent events," said program manager Matt Lawson. "The reality is there may not be spikes but constant, chronic emission [of black soot] that might be gathering on surfaces, but is still concerning to everybody in the area."