The TTC has agreed to conduct a third-party study of the air quality in the city’s subway system amid concerns that workers are breathing in potentially harmful levels of metal particulates.

The TTC signed off on the study following a meeting between CEO Andy Byford and officials from the three unions representing employees on Tuesday.

The meeting was held in the wake of the publication of a Health Canada and University of Toronto study from 2010-2011 that showed that the particulate matter in the city’s subway system is about ten times higher than what a person would experience on a Toronto street. That study also found that the air quality in the city’s subway system is roughly in line with the air quality in smog-prone Beijing on an average day.

“There is a lot of emotion around this and there is a lot of misinformation so let’s allow the science to do its work,” Byford told CP24 following the meeting. “Let me be clear: if there is a risk I want to know about it and if there is a risk I won’t ignore it. But right now there is a lot theories out there and a lot of emotion. Let’s get the facts straight.”

Byford said that the TTC always planned to conduct a subway air quality study later this year but opted to move it up amid concerns over the Health Canada and University of Toronto study.

He said the third-party study will take a close look at the impact of potential air pollution on the TTC employees whose jobs put them in the highest category of risk.

The study, however, may not be enough, according to officials from the TTC’s largest union.

Kevin Morton, secretary-treasurer of ATU Local 113, said that subway workers have long known that subway air quality is “terrible.” He said that employees should be allowed to wear surgical-style masks top protect themselves while more permanent solutions are found.

“Our people right now are getting sick,” he said. “The mucus that comes out of their noses is black, their uniforms are back, it is just terrible.”

According to Byford, the terms of reference for the study will be drafted over the next two weeks. The three unions representing TTC employees will then be given the opportunity to join select the third party that will help carry out the study.'

Morton said it his hopes that some of the results from the study will then be made avilable within months.

"We don’t need a whole year to study that the air quality is really bad. We can identify certain areas where we know its already bad," he said.