The study, published in the journal Nature, proves that the production of tar sands and other heavy oil are a major source of aerosols, which can affect regional weather patterns and increase the risk of lung and heart disease. Heavy oil accounts for 10 percent of global crude oil production worldwide, mostly in Canada.
Researchers found that tar sands production in Alberta emitted between 55 and 101 metric tonnes of secondary organic aerosols per day. That’s comparable to aerosol pollution of major cities such as Mexico City and Paris and greater than the pollution measured near Tokyo. Canadian tar sands are of concern to scientists because they can affect regional climate patterns and have helped to warm the Arctic. Read more at http://www.climatecentral.org
