Air quality

This page deals with selected questions concerning the air quality: How is air quality measured, evaluated and described. What are the reasons for bad air quality, what are the sources, what can be done to improve the situation especially in Kiev. What is the target, what are the threshold values in the EU and in Ukraine.

Kiev is not so heavily industrialized like many other cities mainly in the South of Ukraine. Several industrial complexes that have spoiled the environment in Soviet time are out of function today. One main point of concern today is the increasing automobile traffic and the thus produced air pollution. The pre-independence auto figure of about 150,000 has now grown to upwards of one million. This theme is discussed here because it concerns all of us and we all can do something. This includes not only our personal behaviour but also political decision making. Kiev citizens should be well informed and participate in the planning for the future.

At first, you should have a look at the air quality maps and the map showing industrial enterprises that are potential polluters. The influence of the automobile traffic is explained in the following chapters. Here we also want to provide an insight in the way how a Western European country like Germany copes with the problem.

The first question is:  Which pollutants do cars release into the air?

The new automobile tax is calculated based on the engines' volume, but according to the carbon dioxide output. But which other harmful gases spoil the air - and to which damage they can lead in humans? For example carbon monoxide, azote oxide, sulphure dioxide, black particles. Here an overview on what is contained in exhaust gases.

CARBON MONOXIDE: Smell, colour and tasteless gas blocks the oxygen transport of the blood and can lead to heart cycle complaints, headache and nausea, in extreme cases to unconsciousness and asphyxiation . The gas is also toxic for animals and plants. A car exhausts 1.1 gram per person kilometre on average. Since 2005, new gasoline cars should discharge no more than one gram Carbon monoxide per kilometre by law, Diesel maximally 0.5 gram. Catalysts contributed clearly to the reduction. Average consumption of more economic diesel and gasoline cars are listed in table 1.

CARBON DIOXIDE: German cars blow more than 160 gram carbon dioxide per kilometer  into the air. The gas displaces  oxygen in the air and can lead to headache, swindle, heart lawn, increased blood pressure, unconsciousness and in extreme cases to respiratory arrest lead. Carbon dioxide is considered as notorious greenhouse gas. The European Union wants to force car companies that their models discharge only 130 gram carbon dioxide per kilometer until 2012. After the will of the Federal Government cars with higher CO2-emissions are to pay more car tax .

                                Tab. 1 Average fuel consumption of the most economic western cars

source: Spiegel on-line

 NITROGEN OXIDES: Nitrogen oxides, which reach high concentrations on strongly driven roads, can lead to headache, swindles and even difficulty in breathing. Besides, they are responsible for the emergence of smog, acid rain and ozone. Therefore, the limit values have been further reduced  in the past years. The presently valid Euro-4-emision norm permits 0.08 gram per kilometre for new gasoline cars, for Diesels maximally 0.25 gram. Catalysts also contributed  to a clear reduction.

SULPHUR DIOXIDE: The gas can provoke the respiratory system. A clear reduction of the sulphur portion in the fuel reduced also the harmful exhaust gases. Fuels with higher sulphur content have to pay a penalty tax.

PARTICLES: Inhaled soot particles of diesel engines can settle in the lung and lead to chronic bronchitis or tumours. The limit values, valid since 2005, should not be exceeded actually more frequently than 35-times per year. However, most German large cities lie clearly above it. In 2005,  the limit value was halved on 0,025 gram of soot particles per driven kilometre for new Diesels. Starting from April, the state promotes the additional installation of soot filters and occupies heavy polluters with a penalty tax.

BENZENE and ALDEHYDES: Benzene can change the blood picture and cause leukaemia. The permissible limit value constantly sinks. Materials such as formaldehyde provoke eyes and nose and are to produce cancer.

LEAD: Lead deposition in the body can lead, particularly in children, to disturbances of the nervous system. Since the introduction of lead free gasoline, the lodging resting in Germany was reduced clearly.

Which cars are the largest polluters? The European Union commission decided: For the first time is to be prescribed how much carbon dioxide car models may discharge. Many manufacturers are still far from the climatic protection goals. Until 2008, the carbon dioxide emissions of new vehicles  should be below 140 gram, but at present there is on the average over 160 gram. The European Union commission wants to obligate the manufacturers now despite violent protests to lower the output until 2012 on 130 gram. For many car manufacturers that becomes a long way.

  Tab. 2:  CO2-emission of different car marks

CO2-polluter cars: reduce emissions with an environmentally careful driving fashion The European Union will presumably force car manufacturers to do more for climatic protection. EU environmental commissioner Stavros Dimas wants to prescribe an average maximum limit of 120 gram of CO2 per kilometre for new vehicles up to the year 2012.  According to estimates of the Deutsche Bank, a rigid line could lead to extra costs from 600 to 2500 Euro per car. The European car maker federation ACEA counts on a raising price  by on average 2450 Euro, if the focused 120 gram per kilometre had to be achieved alone with an improved technology of the cars. 

Tips: Thus you reduce the CO2 output

This is how drivers can reduce the CO2-emission: each driver can do something, in order to discharge less CO2. They can contribute their part  to the climatic protection with an economical driving fashion as well as with the correct model choice with the car purchase. Switch off electricity consumers and drive with low tours per minute.

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Please read the following chapter from this website:

<http://www.whatson-kiev.com/index.php?go=News&in=view&id=4709>

 But what about Kyiv?

Will a country that only recently discovered the joys and nightmares of the car culture give up its KIAs, Hondas, and Bentleys before the new−car smell is even gone, and return to the metro and to – God forbid! − walking? Will the government then upgrade the already−serviceable public transport system here to European levels? SUV−dodging, fume−choked local pedestrians can only hope that pump prices go up, up, up.

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