2-YEAR FOLLOW-UP-STUDY OF NON REGULATORY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BETTER AIR-QUALITY IN INDOOR ICE ARENAS

A standardized questionnaire was used in a two-year follow-up study to test the effectiveness of non-regulatory recommendations to improve i ndoor air quality of 103 ice arenas in Finland. In addition, the perfo rmance of a state-of-the-art emission control technology (ECT) on prop ane-fueled resurfacers was evaluated by measuring the one-week average nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration in a small sample of arenas. The number of retrofitted ECT on propane-fueled resurfacers increased fro m 6 to 37 (8% to 37% of ice arenas) and the number of electric resurfa cers from 7 to 9 (both 9% of arenas) in 1994-96. At the same time, the prevalence of inadequate ventilation increased among the most suscept ible small arenas (volume <30000 m(3)) from 11 (31%) to 19 (38%). Comb ustion-powered resurfacers (88%) and inadequate ventilation (24%) were prevalent also among the 17 new arenas built in 1994-96. ECT resurfac ers significantly decreased the mean indoor NO2 concentration of eleve n arenas from 650 mu g/m(3) to 147 mu g/m(3). Thus, retrofitting resur facers with ECT seems to be a feasible mitigation option to improve in door air quality in ice arenas, but the ultimate solution is an electr ic ice resurfacer. Non-regulatory recommendations seem to be partially effective in abatement against the air quality problems, but addition al regulatory measures are needed for full compliance in all arenas. ( C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.