Management of Area Sources

Area sources of air pollution are daily things that we use that emit pollution. Examples are gas stations, burning tires, etc. Although these sources produce a minimal amount of pollution, but together could be of great deal, especially when these sources are found in one place and that place is populated.

According to EMB (Environmental Management Bureau), they launched projects like “Bantay Sunog Basura” under the “Linis Hangin” program to counter attack burning of solid wastes, primarily burning of rubber at plastic-based materials in barangays. Also, they launched mini forest programs which of course included planting of trees in treeless areas. Trees that were included in these forest programs were trees that are capable of absorbing air pollutants. Although EMB launched these programs, they reported that 44% of the places that were included still burn their plastic wastes. 

The U.S EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has assigned Source Classification Categories for air pollution. It consists briefly of: a) Stationary Source Fuel Combustion (industrial and electrical utilities, commercial,  and institutional and residential combustion; b) Industrial Processes (construction, mining and quarrying); c) Solvent Storage and Transport (organic chemical storage, petroleum storage and transport); d) Solvent Utilization (surface coating operations); e) Waste disposal, treatment and recovery (wastewater treatment, open burning and landfills); f) Natural Sources (Off-gasing from non-anthropogenic sources); and g) Miscellaneous Area Sources (Agricultural crop and livestock production, cooling towers and other combustion activities.

Sources:

http://scorecard.goodguide.com/env-releases/def/air_area.html

http://www.epa.gov/

 NATIONAL AIR QUALITY STATUS REPORT 2009

Management of Mobile Sources

In the DENR and EMB's National Air Quality Status Report of 2008-2009, LTO has been watching motor vehicles if they are emitting too much pollutant or not complying to the standard regulations for emissions.

One of the methods is the Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) which is a systematic testing for motor vehicles, which comply with the international emission standards and the national law. I've seen a testing station that vigilantly searches for vehicles that emits too much smoke in the streets of Rizal Avenue going to Abad Santos. It may not seem the most effective way, but it could sanctioned the violator. The problem of this method is that it is not permanent, many violators still escape the law. Many of the jeepneys accumulates the percentage of TSP because of the smoke it produces.

According to the Clean Air Act of 1999 Sec. 11; Best available technology and alternative methods of prevention, management and control of the pollution. However, this is not best alternative method we have so far. In NCR particularly, the solution of reducing the population with regards that it also incorporates the usage of private vehicles is clearly inadmissible. The problem with a very large population in Metro Manila, is that the denser the city is, the polluted it is. For instance, the increase of private cars introduced heavy volume of traffic, and large demand for gasoline, which is a mobile source of pollution.

One of the methods use by the government to reduce traffic is the Number Coding Scheme which prohibits a car to travel in some specific location. The rule is that you cannot travel, if your car's plate ending number matches the rules' restricted date. This was a very good regulation that encourages the usage of public transportation. Reduction of the private cars is gravely necessary for the reduction of air. Durban, South Africa, solves this by increasing the registration fees and taxes for cars, and encouraged people to use the public transportation.

The Philippine's EMB counterpart for the US is Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which regulates environmental laws. The EPA promotes the use of alternative sources of energy for vehicles, participated in the Clean School Bus USA project, regulates the manufacturer of the car by complying to a standard and researches on the future technology to reduce mobile sources of air pollution.

Sources:
[1] National Air Quality Report [2008-2009]. Environmental Management Bureau. 2010
[2] http://www.epa.gov/otaq/

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Summary from NAQ Status Report [2005-2007]

According to the report of the Environmental Management Bureau that most of the air pollution came from the mobile sources, these are the land transportation, sea vessels and airplanes that uses non-renewable energy sources.

The graphs shows that 21% came from stationary sources, 65% from mobile sources and 14% from area sources. Another notable information about the report is Carbon Monoxide is the most pollutant air compound that came from vehicles which is about 50% of the pollutants volume.

Meanwhile, the volume of TSP is decreasing from 2003 to 2007. It decrease by 33%, from 144 to 97 microgram per normal cubic meter. But the standard level of TSP in 2007 is not yet achieved which means it could cause respiratory-related diseases to the people who may accumulate such concentration in the body.

Philippine Air Quality Monitoring Systems 2004

DENR and EMB have been observing, gathering data and generating reports about the Philippine air quality which mostly are located in urban areas, particularly Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro.

During 2004, they have installed air quality monitoring systems to monitor TSP (total suspended particulates) concentrations in NCR. The 5 of 12 areas are from EDSA, this are in the corner of Congressional Ave., National Printing Office, corner of East Avenue, MMDA Office, corner of Taft. The other areas are in the Valenzuela City Hall, Katipunan Ave. located in Ateneo, Mandaluyong City Hall, LLDA Compound in Pasig, Gil Puyat cor. Ayala Ave., Pasig City Hall, Dept. of Health in Rizal Ave.

The pollutants measured in the areas vary widely depending on the equipment installed. The pollutants and compound elements that are observed are: Ozone, SO2, CO, NOx, HC, PM10, PM2.5 and BTX.

Criteria pollutants are for which the National Ambient Air Quality Guideline Values have been established under Clean Air Act of 1999. This includes the TSP, Pb and PM10.

According to the report, the annual TSP mean guideline value increases and exceeds in all of the 12 areas while in 2003 in exceeds in only 9 areas. This TSPs are small solid or liquid particles suspended in air and major sources came from diesel vehicles and coal-burning power plants. According to EMB, TSP may represent the pollution level in the vicinity.

Meanwhile, PM10 does not exceed but are still increasing in areas. PM2.5 has exceeded in the Poveda Learning Center which is about 18 micrograms/Nm^3 which is beyond the 15micrograms/Nm^3 USEPA standard for one year. PM are very dangerous pollutants for which they penetrate the lungs and may affect internal organs such as the heart. Also PM interfere the photosynthesis process of plants to develop, this is one of the reasons of their slow growth if it has access to polluted air in the area.

One of the key things here that is provided is that data in 2004 have been exceeded and the people living in areas in polluted roadside areas are in danger of getting illness that are air pollution-related. Plant growth are also stagnant because of the stomata are clogged with particles from the atmosphere. However, the effect could be local or global but still it remains for the economy that we still use non-renewable sources of energy. This can only be solved if the demand for diesel-powered transportation and smoke-belching vehicles decreases significantly over time in Metro Manila since it is one of the most dense areas in the Philippines in terms of people living in the city.

Source: Monitoring Report. DENR. 2004

Air Quality Management Policies

Air Quality Management Policies issued by Environmental Management Bureau since 2005

DENR Administrative Order	Title	Date Issued
DENR-DTI-DOTC Joint Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 2007	Amended Guidelines and Procedures for the Monitoring of Accredited and Authorized Private Emission Testing Centers (PETC) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) Emission Testing Activities	December 2007
DAO 2007-27	Revised Emission Standards for Motor Vehicles Equipped with Compression-Ignition and Spark-Ignition Engines	31 July 2007
DAO 2007-25	Guidelines for DENR Accreditation of Third Party Source Emission Testing Firms	31 July 2007
DAO 2007-22	Guidelines on the Requirements for Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (CEMS) and other Accepted Protocols thereby Modifying and Clarifying Certain Provisions	31 July 2007

Research References:

1. Environmental Studies Institute of Miriam College Air Care In Action.. 2005

2. DENR- Environmental Management Bureau. National  Air Quality Status Report [2005-2007] . 2009

3. DENR-Environmental Management Bureau. National  Air Quality Status Report  [2003-2004] . 2005

4. DENR-Public Affairs Office. Republic Act No. 8749 : an act providing for a comprehensive air pollution control policy and other purposes. 2001

5. Schwela, Dietrich. Urban air pollution in Asian cities : status, challenges and management. 2006 

6. DENR-Environmental Management Bureau. National  Air Quality Status Report  [2009] . 2011