Emissions Inventory and Air Quality Planning

National Urban Air Quality Workshop Lahore, PakistanDecember 13, 2004

Topics of DiscussionAir Quality Planning MatrixWhat is an emission inventoryWhy is emission inventory neededWhat is role of air monitoring and modelingHow to develop control strategiesCase Studies and Lessons Learned

Matrix for Air Quality Planning

Adopt air quality standardsEstablish air monitoring networkDevelop emissions inventory Develop control strategiesTest strategies through modelingInvolve and educate public on strategiesAdopt air quality management plan

What is an Emission Inventory?Complete listing, by source, of air pollutant emissionsCovers a specific geographic areaCovers a specific period of timeOrganized by type of data (e.g., point, area, mobile, biogenic)

What can EmissionInventory tell you?

Where air pollution is emittedHow much is emitted from each sourceWhat sources would be most effective to control

What can Emission InventoryNOT tell you?

The distance that air pollutant emissions are transported

The amount of air pollution to which people are exposed

The health risk fromthe air pollution

Why is emission inventory needed

Identify sources of pollutionIdentify pollutants of concernIdentify distribution and trendsInput to air quality monitoringInput to air quality modelingInput to develop control strategies

How is Emission Inventory used?

Identifying and planning for allocation of source contributors; Developing an emissions control strategyPermitting sources and imposing emission feesPublic information and awarenessMonitoring and tracking of emissions trends

Sources of Emissions

Stationary (e.g. industrial processes, fuel combustion)Mobile (e.g. on road and off road vehicles)Area wide (e.g. landfills, open burning)Biogenic (e.g. vegetation, soils)

Building an Emission Inventory

Point Sources

Area Sources NonRoad Mobile

Sources

OnRoad Mobile

Sources

Inventory

How to inventory emissions?

Continuous emission monitors

Periodic stack tests

Emission Factors

Material balance

Source Activity Data Required

Vehicles - registration by mode, traffic projectionsFuel Use – vehicles, industry, homeIndustrial Production – products, volume, combustion, pollutantsWeather – temperature, RainfallGrowth – population, development, distribution

Forecasting future emissions

Projected population growthProjected development growthProjected emissions growthDetermine what and where emission sources will require additional controls

Role of air quality monitoring

Establish air quality monitoring networkDetermine key pollutants for which monitoring will be doneEstablish guidelines for sitting monitors, data handling and reportingMeasures concentrations of key pollutants to compare to air quality standards and develop control strategies

Role of Air Quality Modeling

Test control strategies based on modeling inputs (emissions inventory data, meteorological data)Validate against monitored air quality dataWeigh evidence, take mid-course correction, and make changes to strategies if necessary

Developing Control Strategies

Determine key pollutants of concern from air monitoring Review contributions of pollutants from source sectors using emission inventoryEvaluate control strategies based on technical feasibility, cost effectiveness, affordability to source, public acceptability, and adverse effects on other environmental media

Enforcing Control Strategies

Ensure legal authority to enforce through statute, regulations, courtIncorporate strategies in permit conditions for existing and new sourcesOutreach to affected sectors, industry, and the general public to promote compliance

Case Study: State of Maryland, US

Maryland has 15 air monitors showing exceedance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) on average 14 days a yearUSEPA has found Maryland to be in severe nonattainment of NAAQS for Baltimore and Washington areas

Maryland Case Study

Based on emissions inventory data, Baltimore has estimated NOX emissions of 475 tons per dayMajor source emitters include:

Utilities (179 tons), light duty gasoline vehicles (70 tons), heavy duty diesel vehicles (55 tons), general manufacturing (38 tons), and farm equipment (8 tons)

Maryland Case StudyEnhanced inspection and maintenance program is estimated to reduce 70 tons per day when fully implementedStrongly opposed by the general public based on inconvenience to motoristMajor public awareness campaign launched by government, industry and NGO’sLegislators voted to change mandatory program to voluntary, Governor forced to veto legislation during election year

Case Study: Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is the second largest municipality in Thailand and had lacked capacity in air quality managementThai Pollution Control Department, Chiang Mai Municipality, and State of Maryland worked together to develop first air quality plan for Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai Case StudyEmissions inventory database was developed in three source categories – stationary, area, and mobileFor stationary sources, questionnaire sent out to industry based on activity (food & agriculture, waste disposal, wood products, storage tanks)Information collected on type/amount of material used, fuel, production capacity, operating time/season, combustion units, control devices, type of emissions

Chiang Mai Case Study“Achieving Environmental Results Workshop” held with stakeholders – government, industry, taxi/bus associations, police, NGO’s, religious leaders, academia, mediaStakeholders brainstormed on menu of control strategiesBased on stakeholder inputs, air quality management plan adoptedCitizen Advisory Committee established to monitor compliance

Lessons LearnedEffective air quality planning requires a reliable database for decision-makingBuilding database requires documentation, computerization, training, and continuous efforts Choices of control strategies will vary based sources, growth, feasibility, and acceptabilityPublic participation and awareness of urban air quality issues is key to political will and ultimate success