'My lungs are dried out:' New product to tame dust can't come soon enough for Rankin Inlet

As dust issues on RankinInlet roads intensify this summer, so are residents' throat and lung problems. Now people in the community arebreathlessly awaiting a new dust suppression product that's being tested in Iqaluit.

Like many communities in Nunavut,Rankin Inlet has few paved roads. The community has been using dust suppressants every year to control the problem, but this year the make-shift solution is not working.

"It's pretty bad," says Rankin Inlet residentKathleen Sigurdson."It's a fine powder dust that's constantly blowing around."

Sigurdson says the dust is so pervasive that it's making her sick.

"I've been to the health centre three times, because I've had a cold since late spring and the last trip I made there they kept thoroughly checking and doing tests. They finally told me I'vedeveloped a reaction to the dust."

Sigurdson says the lack of road infrastructureshould be an urgent priority.

"If I feel this uncomfortable with a cold, I can't imagine how other people with breathing issues, or how babies,feel."

Short of paving the roads, Sigurdson isn't sure what the solution is.

"I'm not pointing any fingers to anyone, all I want is to be able to breathe good quality air. I don't know if putting chemicals on the roads is good quality air, but at least we won't be filling our lungs with dust with every breath that we take."

More vehicles, more dust

Rankin Inlet's mayor says dust is a recurring problem for the hamlet, which is already doing everything it can.

"We're putting dust suppressant down," says Mayor Robert Janes. "The problem is that it's not sticking there, it's not doing the job it was suppose to do.

"Unless you get a better suppressant or better product, it's going to keep happening."

Janessaysthe dust is worse this year because there are more vehicles on the road.

"I feel for the community. Even myself,my lungs are dried out and it's all because of the dust."

Iqaluit testing new product

According to Ralph Ruediger, the director of community development with the Nunavut government,calcium chloride is usedacross the territory to control dust.

But Ruediger saysnot all hamlets have the expertise to apply calcium chloride effectively in order to suppress the dust.

"The big thing with calcium is that it may not be applied properly," saysRuediger.

The territorial governmentdoes providetraining to hamlets who request assistance on how to applycalcium chloride.

But Ruediger saysanother issue is thatthe product iscorrosive so it can't be used on roads close to water reservoirs and airports.

That's why the government of Nunavutand the City of Iqaluitarepiloting a new non-corrosive product called Dust Stop, created for mining companies.

The product will be tested in Iqaluit this summer and could be made available territory-wide.

Butthere's a catch: Dust Stop is three to four times more expensive than calcium chloride.

"If it's only marginally better than calcium you might only use it in certain locations," says Ruediger.

For now Ruediger, who also lives in Rankin Inlet, just has to deal with the dust.

"The road going out to the gravel pit, which is one of our main roads, is really bad right now."