Air Quality Monitoring and Management in Kathmandu, Nepal

Presented ByChiranjibi Gautam

Urban Env. & AQM Advisor

Environment Sector Program Support (A HMG/DANIDA Program)Ministry of Population and Environment

Co-AuthorsSuman Sharma, Project Manager, ESPS/MOPE

Karsten Fuglsang, AQM Expert, Force Technology, Denmark

BAQ 2004, Agra, India6-8 December, 2004

Kathmandu Valley: General Background

• Approximately 1.8 million population

• About 1300 meter above sea level

• A valley surrounded by 500 to 1000 m high mountains

• November to June:- generally dry

• Lowest temperature: around 0oC in Jan/Feb

• July to October:- rains frequently

• Wind speed is generally calm

Kathmandu Valley: Air Quality Monitoring

• Campaign monitoring during 90ies

• Campaign monitoring during 2000-2001 for design of permanent air quality monitoring system

• Permanent air quality monitoring system established in late 2002

• Monitoring of meteorological parameters- part of the air quality monitoring system

Kathmandu AQMM: Institutions Involved

• Ministry of Population and Environment• Muncipalities (five) in Kathmandu Valley• Department of Transport Management• Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police• Department of Hydrology and Meteorology• Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology• Royal Nepal Academy of Science & Technology• Private laboratories:

– Soil Test– ENPHO– NESS

Kath AQMM: Locations of Stations

Kath AQMM- Parameters MonitoredTSP 24 hr avg, once a week in two road side stations,

HVS

PM10 24 hr avg, continuous in all stations, LVS

PM2.5 24 hr avg, campaign basis, LVS

NO2 Weekly avg, continuous in all stations, Diffusive Sampling

SO2 Campaign basis in all stations, Diffusive Sampling

CO Campaign basis in roadside station

Benzene Weekly avg, continuous in all stations, Diffusive Sampling

PAH Campaign basis in all stations, analysis of PM10 filters

Kath AQMM: Focus on PM10• Designed according to EN12341 • Sustainable pump system:• Manual shift of filters

– 24 V battery backup for use during power cut

– Can be swithed to PM2.5– can be programmed for 6 hrs interval

Passive Samplers for NO2, SO2, and Benzene

PM2.5

PM10

Kath AQMM: Status on PM10

PM10 Monthly Averages for 2003

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Months

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Putalisadak

Patan

Thamel

Bhakatapur

Kirtipur

Machhegaun

NAAQS

Kath AQMM: Status on Benzene and NO2

Annual Average of Benzene and NO2 in Kathmandu Valley, 2003/04

13

7

2

8

20

12

2

13

0

5

10

15

20

25

Roadside Residential Background Valley Avg

Locations

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BenzeneNO2

NAAQS (annual average)Benzene: 20 ug/m3NO2: 40 ug/m3

Kath AQMM: Vehicle Emission Control

Import of only EURO-I vehicles

Phased out of diesel 3-wheelers, 2-stroke 3-wheelers, and 20 year old taxies

Incremental tax on old vehicles (15 years and older)

Fiscal incentives to electrical vehicles

Road development and maintenance fund (fuel tax) and additional customs on import of vehicles for urban road maintenance

Kath AQMM: Vehicle Emission Control

•Institutions involved in vehicle emission testing and monitoring strengthened

•All vehicles required to have green stickers to ply in Kathmandu Valley

•On road monitoring of black smoky vehicles

•Training to auto-mechanics for proper repair and maintenance of vehicles

•Private auto-workshops to be involved in vehicle emission testing

•Govt. institutions to concentrate on on-road monitoring

Kath AQMM: Industrial Emission Control

• Ban on new registration of highly polluting brick kiln technology (Bulls Trench kilns).

• BTK to be changed either to Fixed Chimney or VSVK by September 2004

• Energy Efficiency program in industrial boilers and brick kilns started in 2001

Kath AQMM: Awareness Creation

Regular publication of results

Radio jingles, TV spots, Hoarding boards

Awareness trainings

Kath AQMM: National AAQS

Parameter AVG Time Conc., Max.

TSP 24 hour 230 µg/m3

PM10 24 hour 120 µg/m3

NO2 Annual

24 hour

40 µg/m3

80 µg/m3

SO2 Annual

24 hour

50 µg/m3

70 µg/m3

CO 8 hour

15 minute

10,000 µg/m3

100,000 µg/m3

Lead Annual 0.5 µg/m3

Benzene Annual 20 µg/m3

Kath AQM: Positive ResultsPM10: Annual Average Comparision 2002/03 & 2003/04

204

122

54

138

196

110

54

129

0

50

100

150

200

250

Roadside Residential Background Valley Avg

Locations

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2002/03

2003/04

NAAQS: 120 ug/m3 (24 hr avg)

Roadside: avg of 2 stations

Residential: avg of 3 stations