Vale’s Clean AER Project is the largest single
environmental investment in the history of Sudbury. The $1 billion investment
will reduce sulphur dioxide levels by 85% from current levels and significantly
reduce metals and particulate emissions. By reducing natural gas consumption
and modifying certain processes, the Clean AER Project will also reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by 40%.
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+ Monitoring the Air
To help ensure the safety and comfort of the surrounding community, our Emission Reduction Program (ERP) helps us monitor and manage ground-level sulfur dioxide concentrations downwind of our Sudbury operations.
Here’s how it works: We use weather data from two meteorological towers and other sources to produce predictive models of downwind ground-level concentrations of sulfur dioxide, and use that information to control our smelting and refining operations accordingly.
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+ Real-time Sulphur Dioxide Monitoring and Reports
Did you know? Vale is part of the largest sulphur dioxide monitoring network in Ontario.
We use a network of 18 sulphur dioxide monitoring stations across the Greater Sudbury region. The network is owned by Vale and Glencore, and operated by an independent third party. We also operate a mobile unit, which monitors between the fixed stations and also responds to community concerns.
Here’s how it works: Data are transmitted in real-time to our ERP Control Room, Nickel Distributed Control System (DCS) and Copper DCS, where screens display ground-level concentrations of sulfur dioxide. On the screens we can also see rolling averages for the past 60, 30 and 15-minute periods, followed by the most recent two five-minute intervals, so that members of the community can get monitoring data in real time.
Current data and reports:
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+ Particulate Monitoring Program
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+ Air Quality Monitoring Reports
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+ Who to Call
If you have a concern about air emissions, please call the
ERP Control Room at (705) 682-8283 to reach our ERP operators. For other
community concerns, call Vale's Community Concerns line at 705-222-VALE (8253).