![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785042141_142_DETQYQT3EWXSXO4X4BZEECINZY.jpg\")
Hamilton steel plant Steel plants are seen across the bay at sunrise in Hamilton, Ont. Wednesday Feb. 7, 2007 (Adrian Wyld \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS) <\/p>\nNumerous Hamilton residents woke over the July 4 weekend to find their homes, cars, and nearly every outdoor surface was covered in a familiar nuisance: a layer of black, powdery and sticky substance.<\/p>\n
Black carbon, commonly referred to as soot, is a carbonaceous aerosol produced through the incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels. <\/p>\n
The pollutant has been a familiar concern for Hamilton residents, who have reported recurring deposits of the dark, sticky substance on their properties.<\/p>\n
The increase in soot deposits across Hamilton in recent weeks has raised concerns among residents, with the city councillor for one industrial neighbourhood telling CTV News that she has received \u201csignificant amounts\u201d of complaints from residents about the problem. <\/p>\n
In an interview with CTV News, Hamilton resident Gillian Stanley stated that the soot has become a regular part of life.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard to describe unless you\u2019re living here and you actually see the fallout coming. It\u2019s very annoying and alarming. It feels so dirty and grimy and all-encompassing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The source of the soot has not been confirmed. However, some residents suspect it originated from emissions at one or more of the city\u2019s north-end industrial facilities, which include steel manufacturing plants, chemical processing facilities and other factories.<\/p>\n
Last week, CTV News published a story about growing concerns over the soot deposits affecting Hamilton, asking residents to share their experiences.<\/p>\n
Stanley has lived in Hamilton for just over five years. Her home is within walking distance of the city\u2019s main industrial sector. She said the soot has coated both the interior and exterior of her home.<\/p>\n
Hamilton steel plant Steel plants are seen across the bay at sunrise in Hamilton, Ont. Wednesday Feb. 7, 2007 (Adrian Wyld \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS) <\/p>\n
\u201cMy house is white, and when the soot lands, I have to spray and wash it frequently,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cInside the house, there\u2019s soot too. I have to keep my windows shut. I bought the most expensive HEPA air purifiers I could find and put one on each level to try to keep the indoor air quality reasonable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stanley said that because of the buildup, she and her family stay indoors on particularly bad days.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was convinced that I had environmental allergies \u2014 grass, trees. But it turns out it\u2019s just good old pollution,\u201d Stanley said.<\/p>\n
Jane Jamnik, a Hamilton for six years said that her deck has been covered in the dust and has also affected her day to day.<\/p>\n
Jamnik said that she previously a \u201cbeautiful white deck\u201d but said the soot was like \u201cthick car grease that wouldn\u2019t come off\u201d once it landed.<\/p>\n
\u201cTonight would be salsa down at the pier there in Hamilton. I\u2019m not going out there,\u201d Jamnik said. \u201cI don\u2019t know what this stuff is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a calendar filled with things I\u2019d like to do this summer. I haven\u2019t gone cycling since this thing happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
Soot Health implications <\/p>\n
In a statement to CTV News McMaster University Associate Professor of of Medicine Jeremy Hirota said it is possible for soot particles to travel into the lungs depending on their size.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe smaller the particles, the more they migrate down into the lungs and the deeper parts of the lungs. Deep enough, there are limited ways in which the lung can clear these particles, which can result in an inflammatory response,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Hirota noted that individuals with pre-existing health conditions, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, can be at greater risk in the short term of flare-ups of existing health problems.<\/p>\n
According to Hirota, long-term effects of prolonged exposure are often harder to determine, any short-term health problems \u201cwill at minimum persist on a long-term scale \u2014 and potentially compound to create a chronic and or persistent challenge with breathing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have no idea what\u2019s in the substance. You know, is it in my lungs? Is it going down my throat? I certainly feel really (sick) in my throat, as do many residents. If I do run some errands and go around, I can feel it,\u201d Jamnik said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to be bombarded by chemicals. I\u2019ve been scared since I moved here because of the smell of the chemicals. It\u2019s very strong when these factories go off and smoke is in the air.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hundreds of complaints sent to the Ministry of the Environment<\/p>\n