Two studies find Alberta oil sands development not a major source of long-distance air and water pollution

Water Institute researchers were among the authors of two recent publications which concluded that oil sands development in Alberta is not polluting the water and air in the Peace-Athabasca Delta area at levels previously thought.

The researchers found that emissions from the oil sands have not increased the levels of metal and organic contaminants travelling to the delta via air emissions. Similarly, the mining activity in the oil sands area was not found to have measurably increased organic contaminant levels in the shallow delta lakes fed by the Athabasca River.

The research was published in the journals Science of the Total Environment and PLOS ONE. The Globe and Mail Newspaper also reported on these findings on October 8. The Edmonton Sun had a related article on October 10.