AIR QUALITY

The atmosphere is a vital component of human environment. It transmits and

alters the solar energy that controls our climate. It acts as a shield, protecting us
from damaging meteoritic impacts and from penetrating radiation. It supports the
flight of birds and insects and transports seeds and spores. Its gases provide the
raw materials for life itself; without them we could not exist. Atmosphere is a thin
layer of gasses that envelopes the earth. Weather is the name we give to the states
of the sky, air, wind, and water. Weather elements are rain, snow, heat, wind,
thunder and fog. Our integrated experience of weather is the climate; the
characteristic annual cycle of weather. Climate is the long-term trend of
temperature and precipitation (rain, snow). Weather is the day-to-day variation in
temperature and precipitation.

Climate is the subject of a great deal of debate, including and perhaps particularly,
policy debate, these days. Are humans changing the climate? If so, is that a bad
thing? Should we try to stop it, and will the consequences to our economy be dire?

Before we can address such questions, it would be helpful to know not only what
climate is, but what factors affect it and in what ways. Only then can we address
what impact humans are having on climate.

Climate includes temperature and precipitation on the surface of the Earth. Climate
is being driven by the Big Energy Input-er, the Sun. The Sun is 93 million miles
away from us, yet its nuclear reactions (2 H -> He + E) have a profound effect on
our small planet. The sun's output of energy(E) comes in many forms, from radio
waves to ultraviolet energy. The most noticeable to us on a sunny day are light and
heat.

When the sun's rays strike the Earth, they make a direct hit at the equator and a
strike a glancing blow at the poles. This means that more energy strikes each
square meter of Earth at the equator than at the poles. This uneven distribution of
heat input drives the atmosphere and ocean to distribute the heat towards the poles
to make the heat more evenly distributed.
Pure air is a mixture of gases, which contain 78% Nitrogen, 20.1% Oxygen, 0.9%
Argon, 0.03% Carbon dioxide, 0.002% Neon, and 0.0005% Helium

If air moves relative to the ground, we feel or see it as wind, just air in
motion. It is set in motion by a series of forces:
 Pressure gradient force tending to impel air motion from areas of
high to areas of low pressure.
 Gravitation, which tends to accelerate the air downward at a rate
closed to 9.8 m/s/s
 Friction acting opposite to the wind direction and proportional roughly
to the square of the wind speed.
 The Coriolis force , caused by the rotation of the earth often called the
deflecting force of the earth rotation. It acts at right angles to the wind
direction and is proportional to the wind speed.
Kinds of Wind
1. Global wind caused by the differential warming and cooling of the earth as
it rotates under the sun
2. Local Wind is caused by differential temperature between land and water
masses

LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE

1. TROPOSPHERE - ranges from about 5 km at the poles and about 18 km at
the equator where the temperature decreases with altitude. Tropopause is the
boundary between stratosphere and troposphere
2. STRATOSPHERE - is a layer of air where the temperature profile is
inverted and has high ozone concentration that adsorbs the sun’s shortwave
ultraviolet radiation.
3. MESOSPHERE extend from the stratospause at 50 to 55 km to another
temperature minimum to 80 km, the mesopause. The mesosphere is windy
and turbulent region, but there is usually too little water vapor for clouds to
form.
4. THERMOSPHERE is above the mesopause where temperature increases
indefinitely upward, it is the hot upper atmosphere.

Composition of the Earth's Atmosphere

Before it can reach the Earth, solar energy must pass through our atmosphere. Our
atmosphere is a layer of mixed gases that surrounds the Earth.

Our atmosphere consists of layers which have different densities (densest is closest
to the Earth) and different temperature regimes. These factors allow us to identify
the following layers:

The key layer for us, living on the surface of the Earth, is the troposphere. This is
where all of the weather occurs, and where climate is determined.

The troposphere has its warmest temperatures at the Earth's surface, and cools as
you rise through it.

The ozone layer extends from the top of the stratosphere into the
thermosphere.The Earth's atmosphere is composed of:

ComponentPercentage Nitrogen, N278.1%

Oxygen, O220.9%Argon, Ar0.9%Carbon dioxide,

CO20.033%Other, including: Ne, He, CH4 (methane)0.003%water
vapor, H20variableTotal100%Although CO2, water vapor, and "other"
gases are a tiny component of the atmosphere, they have a huge impact on our
weather, our climate, and our well-being. Nitrogen is largely inert. Most solar
radiation that passes through the atmosphere is unaffected by the presence of any
of these gases.It's when the radiation hits the Earth's surface that things start to
heat up. Solar radiation can raise the temperature of land and water, but it raises
the temperature of land much faster. Solar radiation pretty much bounces off white
clouds and white glaciers and snowcover. This is called reflectance. Solar radiation
that is reflected from clouds, snow, and ice, is lost back to space without
appreciably heating up anything on the Earth's surface.

LAPSE RATE is the change in temperature at the height of free atmosphere

TYPES OF LAPSE RATE

1. Adiabatic lapse rate is a term denoting no heat transfer such as between the
air parcel and the surrounding air. It is independent of prevailing atmospheric
temperature.
2. Dry adiabatic lapse rate
3. Wet adiabatic lapse rate
4. Prevailing lapse rate is the actual temperature-elevation measurement
a. Super adiabatic lapse rate also called strong lapse rate occurs when
the atmospheric temperature drops more than 1 degree Celsius per 100
meter.
b. Sub adiabatic lapse rate also called weak lapse rate is characterized
by drop of less than 1 degree Celsius per 100 meter
Inversion is a special case of weak lapse rate, a condition that has warmer
air above colder air.
 1. Subsidence inversion are due to a movement of large warm air mass over a
cooler air
2. Radiation inversion caused by the thermal radiation of heat to the
atmosphere from the earth

Pollutants are those materials (gases, liquid, or solid) that when added to pure air
will cause adverse effects.
Classification of Air Pollutants
1. Primary pollutants are pollutants emitted as such to the
atmosphere
2. Secondary pollutants are pollutants actually produced in the
atmosphere by chemical reactions
MAJOR AIR POLLUTANTS
A. PARTICULATES
1. Dust is defined as solid particles that are entrained by process gases
directly from the material being handled or processed such as ash, coal
and cement

2. Fume is a solid particle frequently a metallic oxide formed by the

condensation of vapors by sublimation, distillation, calcinations, or
chemical reaction processes.
3. Mist is an entrained liquid particle formed by the condensation of
vapor and perhaps by chemical reaction.
 4. Smoke is made up of entrained solid particles formed as a result of
incomplete combustion of carbonaceous material.

5. Spray is a liquid particle formed by the atomization of parent liquid

The measurements of particulates is done using the high volume

sampler that operates much like a vacuum cleaner by simply forcing
more than 2000 cubic meters of air through a filter in 24 hours. Some
indirect device that is used for estimating particulates is the nephelometer,
which actually measures light, scatter, the assumption being that an
atmosphere that contains particulates also scatters light.

B. GASEOUS POLLUTANTS
1. Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas, intense chocking odor, highly
soluble in water to form sulfurous acid
2. Sulfur trioxide is highly corrosive soluble in water to form sulfuric
acid
3. Hydrogen Sulfide is a highly poisonous gas with rotten egg odor at
low concentrations, odorless at high concentration.
4. Nitrous oxide is a colorless gas, used as carrier gas in aerosol bottles
5. Nitric oxide is a colorless gas produced during high temperature, high
pressure, and combustion. Oxidizes to Nitrogen dioxide
6. Nitrogen dioxide is a brown to orange gas which is a major
component in the formation of photochemical smog
7. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that is a
product of incomplete combustion
 8. Carbon dioxide is a colorless, odorless gas formed during complete
combustion.
9. Ozone is a highly reactive gas that is produced mainly during the
formation of photochemical smog
10. Hydrocarbons emitted from automobiles and industries, others
are formed in the atmosphere
11. Methane is a colorless, odorless flammable gaseous hydrocarbon
which a product of decomposition of organic matter.
12. Chlorofluorocarbons is a highly stable compound that is being
used in spray cans as aerosol propellants

SOURCES AND EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

Natural processes
Particulates include pollen grains, fungus spores, salt spray, smoke particles from
forest fires, and dust from volcanic eruptions
Gaseous pollutants from natural sources include carbon monoxide as breakdown
product in the degradation of hemoglobin, hydrocarbons in the form of terpenes
from pine trees, hydrogen sulfide resulting from the breakdown of cysteine and
other sulfur containing amino acids by bacterial action, nitrogen oxides and
methane.

People made source of pollutants classified as:

 stationary combustion,
Pollutants from combustions processes are sulfur oxides, organic acids,
aldehydes, ammonia, and carbon monoxide.
 transportation,
Transportation sources particularly automobiles using internal
combustion engine, constitute a major source of air pollution. Particulates
emissions from the automobile include smoke and lead particles. Gaseous
pollutants from transportation sources include carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide,
and hydrocarbons.
 industrial processes
Pollutants emissions from industrial processes reflect the ingenuity of
modern industrial technology. Thus, nearly every imaginable form of pollutant
is emitted in some quantity by some industrial operation.
  solid waste disposal
Although solid waste disposal operations need not be a major source of
air pollutants, many communities still permit backyard burning of solid waste.
Other communities use incinerators for solid waste management. Burning is an
attempt to reduce the volume of waste, but may produce undesirable odors, as
well as carbon monoxide, small amounts of nitrogen oxides, organic acids,
hydrocarbons, and smoke.

Problems relating air pollution to health - existence of threshold, total body

burden of the pollutants, time versus dosage problem, and synergism (synergistic
effects of various combination of pollutants)

Diseases caused by air pollutants lung cancer, asthma, emphysema

Health Effects of air Pollution

1. Particulate matter major health effects include effects on breathing and
respiratory systems, aggravation of existing respiratory and
cardiovascular disease, alteration of the body’s defense systems
against foreign materials, damage to lung tissue, carcinogenesis and
premature mortality.
2. Sulfur dioxide- effects on breathing, respiratory illness, breakdown of
lung defenses, aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiovascular
disease and death.
3. Carbon monoxide, the health threat of CO is greatest to those with
cardiovascular disease because it reduces oxygen delivery to organs
and tissues. At elevated concentration CO impairs visual perception,
manual dexterity, and mental ability.
4. Nitrogen dioxides irritate the lungs, causes bronchitis and pneumonia,
lowers resistance to respiratory infections, and plays a major role in
tropospheric ozone formation.
5. Ozone reduces lung function, usually with association with coughing,
sneezing, chest pain, and pulmonary congestion. High concentrations of
ozone are frequently associated with eye irritation, although this may
not be the caused of ozone itself.
 6. High lead exposures can cause seizures, mental retardation, and
behavioral disorder.

Effects on Plants and Animals

Fluorine is emitted from aluminum, glass, phosphate, fertilizers and some
clay baking operations in significant quantities. The plant damage is observed on
the fruit or on the flowers, either of which significantly lowers the value of crop.
Fluorine affects plants of concentrations several orders of magnitude below that at
which human health is affected. Fluorine has also effect even at lower
concentration; the animals may develop fluorosis, resulting in poor animal health
and lower survival capability

EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTANTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

 ACID RAIN
One way in which sulfur dioxide is removed from the atmosphere is the
formation of acid rain. Normal, uncontaminated rain has pH of about 5.6 but
acid rain can be as low as pH 2 even below. Acid rain encompasses both wet
and dry acidic deposition that occurs near and downwind of areas where major
emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides results from burning fossil
fuels. The most important effect of acid rain is the decline of fish population,
which is specially damaging to sport fishing. Other aquatic effects of acid rain
include those on human who eat fish having an increased concentration of metal
in their flesh . Acid rain poses an insidious and potentially devastating threat to
our forest; it has been shown that seedlings can be damaged by moderately
acidic rain (pH 4.6)
 PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG
The formation of photochemical smog is a dynamic process. Note that
as the morning rush hour begins the NO levels increase, followed quickly by
NO2. As the latter reacts with sunlight, Ozone and other oxidants are produced.
The hydrocarbon level similarly increases at the beginning of the day and then
drops off in the evening. Particularly baffling was the formation of high ozone
levels, which for every mole of NO2 reacting to make atomic oxygen and hence
ozone, one mole of NO2 is created from reaction with ozone.
 OZONE DEPLETION
 Ozone is an eye irritant at usual urban levels, but urban ozone should
not be confused with stratospheric ozone which occurs 7 to 10 miles above the
earth’s surface. Stratospheric ozone acts as an ultraviolet radiation shield. CFC
emitted mostly from refrigeration units and spray cans can apparently alter this
shield and increase the risk of skin cancer as well as change global ecology in
unpredictable ways, including contributing to global warming. Two of the most
important CFC’s are trichlorofluoromethane, and dichlorofluoromethane, both
of which are inert and nonwater soluble and therefore do not washout the
atmosphere. They drift into the upper atmosphere and are eventually destroyed
by the shortwave solar radiation releasing chlorine which can react with ozone.
 GLOBAL WARMING
The earth acts as a reflector to the sun’s rays receiving the radiation
from the sun and reflecting some of it into space (called albedo) and adsorbing
the rest only to reradiate this into space as heat. Unfortunately, some gases such
as methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide adsorb radiation at wavelengths
approximately the same as the heat radiation trying to find its way back to
space. Because the radiation is adsorbed in the atmosphere by these gases, the
temperature of the atmosphere increases heating the earth. The system works
exactly like a greenhouse in that light energy through the greenhouse glass, but
the long wave-length, low-frequency heat radiation is prevented from escaping.
The gases that adsorb the heat energy radiation are properly referred as
greenhouse gases since they in effect cause the earth to heat up just like a
greenhouse.
INDOOR AIR POLLUTANTS
 ASBESTOS from fireproofing and vinyl floors
 CARBON MONOXIDE from smoking, space heaters, and stoves
 FORMALDEHYDE from carpets, ceiling tile and paneling]
 PARTICULATES from smoking, fireplace and dusting
 NITROGEN OXIDES from kerosene stoves, gas stoves
 OZONE from photocopying machine
 RADON from natural emitted gas diffused from soil
 SULFUR DIOXIDE from kerosene heaters
 VOLATILE ORGANICS from smoking, paints, solvents, cooking
Health problems from contaminated indoor air- eye irritation, headache,
nausea, sneezing, dermatitis, heartburn, drowsiness

Chemical Pollutants - asbestos, ethylene glycol, phenol, vinyl chloride, benzene,

methanol

AIR QUALITY CONTROL

The easiest way and also the most economical solution to air pollution is to eliminate
the source of the pollution. Air quality control is often achieved by some form of air
treatment similar in concept to water treatment.

TREATMENT OF EMISSIONS
Selection of the correct treatment device requires matching characteristics of the
pollutant with features of the control device. It is important to remember that the sizes of air
pollutants range many orders of magnitude, and it is therefore not reasonable to expect one
device to be effective and efficient for all pollutants. In addition, the types of chemicals in
emissions often will dictate the use of some devices.

CONTROL OF PARTICULATES
1. Settling Chambers- the simplest device for controlling particulates consisting of nothing
more than wide places in the exhaust flue where larger particles can settle out, usually with
a baffle to slow the emission stream.
2. Cyclone - the most popular, economical and effective means of controlling particulates
3. Bag (or fabric) Filters - used for controlling particulates, operate like the common
vacuum cleaner. Bag filters are widely used in many industrial applications, but are
sensitive to high temperatures and humidity.
4. Spray Tower or Scrubber- is an effective method for removing large particulates, where
high efficiency scrubbers promote the contact between air and water by violent action in a
narrow throat section into which water is introduced. This method has two major
drawbacks: (a) produce a visible plume (b) the waste is now in liquid form.
5. Electrostatic Precipitator- widely used in power plants, mainly because power is
available. The particulate matter is removed by first charging it by electrons jumping from
one high voltage electrode to the other migrating to the positively charged collecting
electrode.
There are typically three types of ESP units: dry negative corona units, wet negative corona
units and wet positive corona units. Dry negative corona units have inherently better
voltage/current characteristics, are utilized more frequently and will be the main focus of
this website; however, wet negative corona units will be discussed for their applicative
differences. The following is a small list of typical industrial applications for ESPs.

 Refuse & sewerage sludge dryers and incinerators

 Coal- and oil-fired boilers, coal driers and coal mills
 Production plants for the cement, limestone, gypsum, pulp and paper industry (kilns,
mills, driers and coolers)
 Electro-metallurgical, chemical, gas and detergent manufacturing plants
 SO2, SO3, acid mist and ammonia control (wet ESPs)

ESP Advantages:

 ESPs are very efficient (up to 99% efficiency), even for small particals
 They are generally more ecnomical than other particulat control devices:
Operating costs are reduced by low energy consumption, minimal maintanence
requirements and reduced cost on spare parts
  Can be designed to handle wet and dry gas compositions for a wide range of gas
temperatures
 Can handle large volumes of gas flow with low pressure drop

ESP Disadvantages:

 High intial capital costs

 Dry ESPs can only control particulate emissions, not gas compositon emisions
 Once installed, ESPs take up a lot of space and cannot be easily redesigned
 May not work properly on high electrical resistive particals

ESP Operation and Basic Design

A dry negative corona ESP, is designed to generate and disperse negative electrons
through suspended electrodes (wires). Excess electrons migrate from the corona toward a
positve (grounded) collection plate. Electrons are readily adsorbed onto passing
electronegative gas molecules and particals. As the electrons are accumulated on the dust
particles they are transported and deposited on to the collection plate. Below is a typical dry
gas flow schematic of an ESP. For more detailed and thourough design instruction, consult
the ESP design videos on the Video Instruction page.
As dust particles collect on the grounded plate, they transfer their charge thus completing
the electrical circuit. Particles are retained on the plate by friction and the constant
collection and transfer of particle electrons. As the dust layer increases, electron conduction
is dampened by the resistance. The measure of resistance is known as resistivity.
Resistivity has a strong influence on particle collection efficiency. View video #5 on the
Video Instruction page for more information.

Rapping System

To improve collection efficiency and ensure proper functional use of the precipitator, a
rapping system is applied to the collection plates and electrodes to dislodge the collected
dust layer. A falling weight or fixed rotating hammer raps the collection plates, causing a
vibration that knocks off the dust layer. The dust drops into steeply sloped hoppers, which
are periodically emptied for disposal. The collection plates should be smooth enough to
prevent frictional resistance during rapping removal and have sufficient oscillation behavior
to ensure particle dislocation across the length of the plate. Each plate is rapped
individually to minimize the escape of dust particles from the system. Rapping intervals are
dependent upon gas flow composition, corona voltage, and precipitator size.

ESP Sizing

The volumetric flow rate and gas stream composition are the two important empirical
factors for determining a precipitator design. The velocity component, other wise known as
the migration velocity, is the dominate factor which helps to determine the dust removal
efficiency. The following parameters can also effect the migration velocity component:

 Particle chemical composition and electrical resistivity

 Gas stream humidity
 Gas stream temperature

 Fly ash content at the precipitator inlet
 Fly ash content at the precipitator outlet

The inlet gas stream typically has a high temperature and may require pretreatment. Flue
gas conditioning should be considered to facilitate particle collection. By spraying water into
the flue gas, the fly ash is cooled to an efficient precipitator operating temperature. In
addition, this increases the gas humidity which lowers the dust resistivity. Particle resistivity
is material, temperature and humidity dependent and should be thoroughly understood for
proper ESP design.

There are four fundamental ways to reduce emission of undesirable gases:

1. Reduce or eliminate the production of undesirable gases
2. Induce the gas to react after production in chemical processes to produce different, less
objectionable emissions.
3. Selectively remove the undesirable product from gas stream by absorption which is the
transfer of gas molecules into a liquid.
4. Selectively remove the undesirable gas by adsorption, which is the deposition of gas
molecules on a solid surface.

CONTROL OF GASEOUS POLLUTANTS

The control of gases involves the removal of the pollutant from the gaseous
emissions, a chemical change in the pollutant, or a change producing the pollutant.
1. Wet Scrubbers- can remove gaseous pollutants by simply dissolving them in water;
alternatively, a chemical may be injected into the scrubber water, which then reacts in the
pollutants.
2. Adsorption- is a useful method when it is possible to bring the pollutant into contact with
an efficient adsorbed like activated carbon.
3. Incineration or Flaring- is used when an organic pollutant can be oxidized to carbon
dioxide and water. A catalytic combustion is a variation of incineration whereby the
temperature of the reaction is lowered by the use of a catalyst that mediates the reaction.

CONTROL OF SULFUR OXIDES

The major source of sulfur oxides (SOx) is coal fired power plants. The increasingly
strict standards for Sox control have prompted the development of a number of options and
techniques for reducing emissions of sulfur oxides. Among these options are the following:
1. Change to low sulfur fuel- natural gas and oil are considerably lower in sulfur than
coal, however, uncertain and expensive supplies make this option risky.
2. Desulfurize the coal- sulfur in coal is either organic or inorganic. The inorganic form iron
pyrate (FeS2), which since it occurs in discrete particles can removed by washing. The
removal of the organic sulfur (generally 60% of the total) requires chemical reactions is
most economically accomplished if the coal is gasified. (changed into a gas resembling
natural gas).
3. Tall Stacks- a shortsighted method of SO2 control where incredibly tall stacks are built
and disperse the SO2.
4. Flue-gas Desulfurization- the last option is to reduce the SO2 emitted by cleaning the
gases coming from the combustion, the so called flue-gas. The most widely used method of
SO2 removal is to contact the sulfur with lime or limestone.

DISPERSION OF AIR POLLUTANTS

Atmospheric conditions primarily determine the dispersion of air pollutants. If the
conditions are super adiabatic, a great deal of vertical air movement and turbulence are
produced, and dispersion is enhanced. The super adiabatic prevailing lapse rate is by
contrast a very stable system.

Dispersion- is the process of spreading out the emission over a large area and thereby
reducing the concentration of the specific pollutants. The dispersion is dependent on both
the atmospheric stability and the distance from the source...
The effect of atmospheric instability can be as follows:
1. A superadiabatic lapse rate produces atmospheric instability and a looping plume.
2. An adiabatic lapse rate evens out the plume, producing a coning plume.
3. If the plume is emitted into an inversion layer, a fanning plume will result; a highly
descriptive name since from above it can be seen that the plume fans out horizontally
without any vertical dispersion.
4. A particularly nasty situation is the fumigation condition, when an inversion cap is
placed on the plume, but a superadiabatic lapse rate under the inversion causes mixing
and high ground level concentrations.

CONTROL OF MOVING SOURCES

Although many of the previously mentioned control techniques can apply to
moving sources as well as to stationary ones, one very special moving source- the
automobile- deserves special attention. Although the automobile has many
potential sources of pollution, there are only a few important points requiring
control.

1. Evaporation of hydrocarbons (HCs) from the fuel tank

2. Evaporation of hydrocarbons from the carburetor.
3. Emissions of unburned gasoline and partially oxidized HCs from the crankcase.
4. The NOx, HCs and CO from the exhaust.

The evaporative losses from the gas tanks have been reduced by the use of gas
tank caps that prevent the vapor from escaping. Losses from carburetors have been
reduced by use of activated-carbon canisters that store the vapors emitted when the
engine is turned off and the hot gasoline in the carburetor vaporizes. The third source of
pollution, the crankcase vent, has been eliminated by closing off the vent to the
atmosphere and recycling the blow-by gases into the intake manifold. Positive Crankcase
Ventilation (PCV) Valve is a small check valve that prevents the build-up of pressure in the
crankcase. Nitrogen oxides from automobile exhausts are controlled by recirculating
exhaust gas, diluting the air to fuel mixture being burned in engine.

Emission control techniques (internal combustion automobile engine)

1. Tuning the engine to burn efficiently- a tune-up can have a significant effect on
emission components.
2. Installation of catalytic reactors- catalytic converters oxidizes the CO and HCs to CO2
and H2O
3. Engine Modifications- greatest advance in engine development so as to produce less
emission.

One of the most destructive effects of automobile emission is the deterioration of

building, statuary, and other materials.
 RA 8749: THE PHILIPPINE CLEAN AIR ACT OF 1999

Is a comprehensive air quality management policy and program which aims to achieve and
maintain healthy air for all Filipinos.

Guiding Principles
 Protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in
accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature
 Promote and protect the global environment while recognizing the primary
responsibility of local government units to deal with environmental problems
 Recognize that the responsibility of cleaning the habitat and environment is primarily
area-based
 Recognize that “polluters must pay.”
 Recognize that clean and healthy environment is for the good of all and should be the
concern of all.

Working Agencies, Department, and Organizations

WHO World Health Organization

NSCB National Statistical Coordination Board
DENR Department of Environmental and Natural Resources
DOTC Department of Transportation and Communication
DOST Department of Science and Technology
NRDP National Research and Development Program
DTI Department of Trade and Industry
DOE Department of Energy
BPS Bureau of Product Standard
PNS Philippine National Standard
PAGASA Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration
PNRI Philippine Nuclear Research Institute
DEMB Department of Environmental Management Bureau
LGU Local Government Units

AIR POLLUTANTS means any matter found in the atmosphere other than oxygen,
Nitrogen, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and the inert gases all in their natural or normal
concentrations, that is detrimental to health or the environment, which includes but not
limited to smoke, dust, soot, cinder, fly ash, solid particles of any kind, gases, fumes,
chemical mists, contaminated stream, and radioactive substances.

MAJOR AIR POLLUTANTS IN METRO MANILA

Pollutants Sources Affected part of

the body
Carbon monoxide Motor vehicle exhaust Lung, heart,
brain, blood
Particulates Motor vehicle exhaust, industrial processes, Lung
refuse incineration, heat and power generation
Sulfur dioxide Heat and power generation facilities that use oil Lung, skin, eyes
or coal containing sulfur
Hydrocarbon Motor vehicle emissions, solvent evaporation, Lung
industrial processes, solid waste disposal, fuel
combustion
Nitrous oxide Motor vehicle exhaust, heat and power Lung, Heart
generation, nitric acid, explosives, fertilized
plants

OTHER POLLUTANTS
 Ozone depleting substances (ODS) such as but not limited to CFC’s, halons and
the like
 Greenhouse gases which include carbon dioxide, methane, oxides of nitrogen, and
the like
 Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) which include but not limited to dioxin, furan,
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides such as aldrin,
dialdrin, DDT, hexachlotobenzene, lindane, toxaphere, and chlordane.
 Radioactive emissions
Allowable chemicals
Within six months after the effectively of this act, unleaded gasoline fuel shall contain
aromatics not exceed 45% by volume and benzene not exceed 4% by volume, provided,
that by year 2003, unleaded gasoline fuel should contain aromatics not exceed to 35% by
volume and benzene not to exceed 2% by volume.
Automotive diesel fuel which contains a concentration of sulfur in excess of 0.20% by
weight with a cetane number of not less than 48. Industrial diesel fuel which contains a
concentration of sulfur in excess of 0.3% by weight.

Penalties
 The driver and operator of the apprehended vehicle found to have exceeded the
emission standard shall suffer the following penalties
2 First offense- a fine in the amount of 1,000 pesos
3 Second offense- a fine in the amount of 3,000 pesos
4 Third offense- a fine in the amount of five thousand pesos and the offender
must undergo a seminar on pollution control and management conducted by
DOTC/LTO
In case the third offense was committed within a year from the commission of the first
offense, an additional penalty of suspension of the Motor Vehicle Registration for a
period of one year shall be imposed

 Any person who burn municipal waste shall be punished with 2 years and one day to
four years imprisonment
 Any person who burns bio-medical waste shall be punished with 4 years and one to
six years imprisonment
 Any person who smokes inside a public building or enclosed public place, including
public utility vehicles or other means of public transport or in any enclosed area
outside of his/her private residence, private place of work or any duly designated
smoking area shall be punished with 6 months and one day to one year imprisonment
or a fine of ten thousand pesos
 Any person who manufactures, imports, sells, offers for sale, introduces into
commerce, conveys or otherwise disposes of in any manner leaded gasoline shall be
 punished with 3 years and one day to 5 years imprisonment and liable for the
appropriate fine.
 Any person who manufactures, imports, sells, offers for sale, introduces into
commerce automotive diesel fuel which do not meet the fuel specifications as revised
by the DOE shall be punished with 3 years and one day to 5 years imprisonment and
liable for the appropriate fine.
 For stationary sources of pollutants, a fine not exceed of 100,000 pesos for every
owner or operator per day of violation until such time that the standards have been
complied.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP CLEAN THE AIR

 Maintain your vehicle by changing oil regularly (every 5,000km)
 Keep the engine well tuned following the owners manual
 Keep tires properly inflated
 Plan trips and observe proper driving habits
 Remove unnecessary things from the trunk. Don’t overload and travel only at a speed
required by traffic regulations and road conditions
 Try talking to jep/bus/trycicle driver about the high health risk of poor vehicle
maintenance and improper driving
 Patronize mass railway transit
 Reduce air conditioning and ensure that rooms are sealed
 Don’t burn garbage
 Avoid using aerosols
 Properly disposed refrigerant’ refrigeration equipment, and used coolant
 Talk to people on what they can do about air pollution
 Report smoke belchers to LTO,MMDQ and/or the appropriate LGU
 Walk or ride your bike to places
 Plant trees
 Use natural lighting by opening window curtains at daytime
 Spread the word about the ban on smoking in public places.