Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) Standards in Asia

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) Standards in Asia"

Noreen Beasley
6 years ago
Views:

1 Sulfur dioxide ( ) Standards in Asia Sulfur dioxide ( ) belongs to a family of Sulfur oxide gases (SO x ). It is formed from the sulfur-containing raw materials such as coal, oil and metal-containing ores during combustion and refining processes. In its untransformed, acidic, and/or particulate state, has adverse effects on human health or the environment. World Health Organization 24-hour and 10-minute guidelines Unlike the usual 24-hr and annual mean levels, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that follows a more stringent 10-minutes and 24-hr intervals based from recommendations of epidemiological studies. The yearly air quality guideline (AQG) is not needed since 24-hr guideline would be sufficient in assuring low annual average levels. Table 1. WHO Air Quality Guideline (AQG) and Interim Targets: Basis of Selected Level for 24-hr and 10 minute Mean Level Category Standard (µg/m 3 ) IT IT hr As there was little basis for separating the contributions of individual pollutants to the observed health outcomes, prior to 1987, guideline values for were linked to corresponding values for PM. This approach led to the setting of an AQG value for of 125 µg/m 3 as a 24-hour average. Intermediate goal based on controlling either motor vehicle emissions, industrial emissions and/or emissions from power production. This would be a reasonable and feasible goal for some developing countries (it could be achieved within a few years) which would lead to significant health improvements that, in turn, would justify further improvements (such as aiming for the AQG value). Standard (µg/m 3 ) 10-mins IT WHO AQG Controlled studies involving exercising asthmatics indicate that a proportion experience changes in pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms after periods of exposure to as short as 10 minutes. Source: WHO, and EU AQS Standard Unlike WHO, the European Union Air Quality Standards (EU AQS) and United States Environmental Protection Agency () continue to set a 1-hr standard 1 for at 350 µg/m 3 and 196 µg/m 3 (70 pbb), respectively. Few countries have adopted this standard. estimates that the health benefits associated with this rule range between $13 billion and $33 billion annually. These benefits include preventing 2,300 to 5,900 premature deaths and 54,000 asthma attacks a year. The estimated cost in 2020 to fully implement this standard is approximately $1.5 billion. 1 For Standard, this is considered a Primary Standard which is set to protect human health.

2 2 Standards in Asia Most developing countries in Asia either use the 24-hr standard and/or the annual standard. Though some countries have 1-hr guidelines, they are not comparable to the or even the EU AQS except for some countries (Table 2 and Figures 1 to 3). Table 2. Summary of Standards in Select Asian countries (µg/m 3 ) Countries 1-hr 24-hr Annual I India India Pakistan Pakistan areas, mixed commercial/residential areas, cultural, industrial, and rural areas; I = special industrial areas; SAR = Special Administrative Region; PDR = People s Democratic Republic

3 3 Figure 1. 1-hr Standards in Asian countries vs., WHO AQG and EU NAAQS. * * I 196 µg/m Notes for Figure 1. areas, mixed commercial/residential areas, cultural, industrial, and rural areas; I = special industrial areas; SAR = Special Administrative Region; PDR = People s Democratic Republic; WHO = World Health Organization; IT = interim target; AQG = air quality guidelines; = United States Environmental

4 4 Figure hr Standards in Asian countries vs., WHO AQG and EU NAAQS. Pakistan ***** * I WHO AQG (20 µg/m3) IT-2 (50µg/m3) EU 125µg/m 3 WHO IT µg/m Hr Standard (µg/m 3 ) 365 µg/m 3 Notes for Figure 2. areas, mixed commercial/residential areas, cultural, industrial, and rural areas; I = special industrial areas; SAR = Special Administrative Region; PDR = People s Democratic Republic; WHO = World Health Organization; IT = interim target; AQG = air quality guidelines; = United States Environmental

5 Figure 3. Annual Standards in Asian countries vs. WHO AQG and EU NAAQS. Pakistan ***** I * 78 µg/m 3 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Annual Standard (µg/m 3 ) Notes for Figure 3.

Health Organization; IT = interim target; AQG = air quality guidelines; = United States Environmental References Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia) Center, 2010.

5 5 Figure 3. Annual Standards in Asian countries vs. WHO AQG and EU NAAQS. Pakistan ***** I * 78 µg/m Annual Standard (µg/m 3 ) Notes for Figure 3. areas, mixed commercial/residential areas, cultural, industrial, and rural areas; I = special industrial areas; SAR = Special Administrative Region; PDR = People s Democratic Republic; WHO = World Health Organization; IT = interim target; AQG = air quality guidelines; = United States Environmental References Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia) Center, Air Quality in Asia: Status and Trends Sulfur dioxide. Schwela, Dieter, Haq, Gary, Huizenga, Cornie, Han, Wha-Jin, Fabian Herbert, Ajero, May, Urban Air Pollution in Asian Cities. United Kingdom SEI, Foundation Course on Air Quality Management. WHO, WHO Air Quality Guidelines Global Update 2005 Particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide. World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities Center. All rights reserved. CAI-Asia, Factsheet No. 4 Sulfur dioxide ( ) Standards in Asia. Pasig City,. CAI-Asia Center Robinsons-Equitable Tower, ADB Avenue, Pasig City 1605 Metro Manila, Tel /Fax , center@cai-asia.org

Guidance Framework for Better Air Quality in Asian Cities

Guidance Framework for Better Air Quality in Asian Cities Kaye Patdu, Clean Air Asia Strengthening the Interface between Atmospheric Science and Policy in Asia ISAP 2015 Lunch Session 29 July 2015 Yokohama,