The environment department and its partners are turning to high technology so vehicular problems that cause smoke belching can be diagnosed accurately and addressed accordingly to help reduce air pollution.
Some 80 percent of these have been attributed by authorities to the transport sector.
“Black emissions indicate something’s wrong with a vehicle – what causes this must be pinpointed correctly,” said Nicanor Lazaro, owner of ZXL Auto Center.
The center is among partners the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources gained in its fight against dirty air.
The partners inaugurated Saturday in Metro Manila what DENR cited as the Philippines’ first motor vehicle maintainance facility capable of undertaking the computerized diagnosis.
The ZXL-run facility is equipped with an emissions tester and vehicle analyzer.
“Such equipment will determine what’s wrong with a vehicle and show what must be done about it,” Lazaro said.
Other testing centers only check vehicles’ smoke for compliance with emission standards, he noted.
Philippine Medical Association and Thailand’s largest oil company PTT Corp. are partnering with DENR and ZXL on the undertaking.
PTT is hosting the facility in its fuel station along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue near Veterans Village in Metro Manila’s Quezon City .
“We plan establishing similar diagnostic facilities in other PTT fuel stations,” Lazaro said.
DENR continues campaigning to address air pollution, warning studies show this affects health.
Air pollution’s health impacts can range from eye and nose irritation to headache, fatigue, respiratory illnesses, impairment of immune system, shortened life expectancy and even death, DENR noted.
Authorities also warned vehicle emissions cause acid rain which is destructive to the environment. [PNA]
Major air pollutants DENR reported monitoring nationwide include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, lead, ozone, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and volatile organic compounds.
DENR earlier reported gains in the fight against air pollution, saying level of Metro Manila’s pollutive total suspended particulates (TSP) already dipped from 150 to 117 micrograms per normal cubic meter (ug/Ncm) between the years 2010 and 2011.
Much work still needs to be done on further reducing Metro Manila’s TSP level to the standard 90 ug/Ncm, DENR acknowledged however.
Lazaro noted all kinds of motor vehicles running on gas, diesel and even liquified petroleum gas can be diagnosed at the facility.
“Computerized diagnosis will take less than an hour only because vehicle parts need not be removed for analysis unlike what’s done during traditional check-ups,” he said.
He said vehicles must be checked up at least twice a year.
“Proper vehicle maintenance is essential in preventing smoke belching,” he said. [PNA]
0 Comments
Oldest