Health Canada

Outdoor air pollution comes from a variety of sources, and even at low levels, has an impact on human health. It leads to disease, increased hospitalizations and even premature death.

Health effects from air pollution can depend on the source.

Follow these tips to reduce your risk of health effects from air pollution.

Traffic is a major source of air pollution especially in urban areas. Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is a mixture of gases and particles that include many different chemicals from cars, buses and trucks. TRAP includes emissions from exhaust, evaporation of fuel, and tire and brake wear.

Health Canada completed the Human Health Risk Assessment for Diesel Exhaust, a comprehensive review and analysis of the potential adverse health effects associated with diesel fuel use in Canada. The report focuses on diesel exhaust (DE) emissions from on-road and off-road vehicles (excluding...

Health Canada completed the Human Health Risk Assessment for Gasoline Exhaust, a comprehensive review and analysis of the potential adverse health effects associated with gasoline fuel use in Canada. The report focuses on gasoline exhaust (GE) and vehicle emissions from on-road and off-road...

The general approach employed is as comprehensive as the available information allows and is comparative in nature, i.e., the impacts of biodiesel blends are compared to those of conventional ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) and presented as relative risks and benefits. The primary consideration...

This review is intended to support the development of Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS) for NO2; these standards are one of the elements of the federal-provincial-territorial Air Quality Management System.

The Air Quality Assessment Section of Health Canada undertook a health risk assessment of sulphur dioxide (SO2) in order to update the available information on adverse effects of SO2 to human health, determine recent Canadian SO2 exposure levels, and to inform the revision or development of...

Health Canada has completed a detailed risk assessment entitled "Human Health Risk Assessment for Coarse Particulate Matter", a stand-alone piece focusing on the potential health impacts of coarse particulate matter (PM10-2.5). The state of knowledge on the health effects of coarse PM has and...

Health Canada has completed a risk assessment evaluating the potential risks and benefits to the health of Canadians from the use of E10, a formulation of gasoline containing 10% ethanol per volume. E10 is the most common proportion for ethanol-blended fuel and is considered usable in gasoline...

Health Canada is preparing the Health of Canadians in a Changing Climate: Advancing our Knowledge for Action report. This report includes a scientific assessment of how climate change affects human health.

Benzene is a recognized human carcinogen and, as such, a component in gasoline of particular concern. The objective of this assessment is to estimate the contribution of benzene emissions to inhalation exposures for communities residing in proximity to gasoline stations.

Benzene has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen ("carcinogenic to humans") by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC 2012, 2018) and as carcinogenic to humans by the Government of Canada (Canada 1993). Benzene was added to the List of Toxic Substances in Schedule 1 of CEPA 1999...

This report on progress contributes to an integrated, whole-of-government view of activities supporting environmental sustainability and helps to make environmental decision-making more transparent and accountable to Parliament. This report details Health Canada's individual departmental actions...

Access documents on the health risks of indoor air contaminants. Learn how to reduce exposure to these contaminants in residential and non-residential spaces.

Canadians spend approximately 90% of their time indoors and are exposed to a large number of indoor air contaminants. In many cases, these indoor air contaminants are known to cause or exacerbate health effects, such as asthma, allergies, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other...

Ozone can cause a variety of symptoms in both healthy people and people with respiratory problems, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Health symptoms include: coughing, chest discomfort, reduced lung function, shortness of breath, and irritation of the eyes, nose and...

Toluene is one of a diverse, group of chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can be released as a gas into indoor air at room temperatures. The health effects of toluene depend on the level to which you are exposed, for how long you are exposed, and your own personal...

Adaptation Bulletin #1/ The Urban Heat Island Effect: Causes, Health Impacts and Mitigation Strategies.