Environment

  1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions are reported to Alberta Environment only by large industrial facilities that annually emit 100,000 tonnes or more of greenhouse gas emission in carbon dioxide equivalent units.

    In the Medicine Hat region there is no community monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions (for example monitoring transportation emissions), other than the large volume emitters described above.      

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  2. Environment Canada calculates Medicine Hat’s 2006 residential daily flow of water per capita at 394 litres per person which was a reduction of nearly 25% from 2001. The average Canadian daily residential use in 2006 was 336.5 litres per person.      

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    Waste, Recycling & Landfill Statistics 2004 – 2006
      2004 2005 2006
    Household Waste Collected (tonnes) 13,195 12,943 13,222
    Average HH Waste Collection/Buried Per Person (kg) 242 231 229
    Material Collected at Residential Drop Off Depots (kg) 2,478,431 2,733,875 2,852,454
    Average Recycling Through Drop Off Depots Per Person (kg) 45.4 48.7 49.4
    Medicine Hat Landfill Tipping Fee ($/tonne) $15.25 $16.00 $18.00
    Average (Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge) $/tonne $38.00 $39.25 $40.75

  3. The Medicine Hat Landfill Tipping fee per tonne of waste is less than half the provincial average.
         

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  4. On May 10, 2007 Alberta Environment completed a report on the City of Medicine Hat giving the City water treatment facility and the quality of water a #1 rating on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is the highest rating achievable. The City also regularly monitors the water using over 300 different parameters.
             

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    The quality of drinking water was considered an important indicator by 91% of respondents in the Medicine Hat Quality of Life Study. Of this 91%, only 75% felt that the water in Medicine Hat was safe.

  5. The Air Quality Index, or AQI, associates concentrations of five major air pollutants to both federal and provincial air quality objectives. Outdoor concentrations of carbon monoxide, fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and sulphur dioxide are used to determine whether the quality of air is Good, Fair, Poor or Very Poor. “Good” air quality is best possible rating and means that there are no known harmful effects to human or environmental health.

    In 2006 the Air Quality Index (AQI) measured “Good” 94.01% of the time.        

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    Air pollution was considered and important quality of life factor for 77% of the people interviewed for the Medicine Hat Quality of Life Study.

    From August 2006 to July 2007 the use of the solar panel on the Medicine Hat Library has reduced the amount of energy used by 1,543.6 kWh.

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"We must improve water conservation in such a dry environment. Garbage tipping fees should increase to encourage more recycling." – Survey Respondent