PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION, NOISE POLLUTION, VEHICULAR

POLLUTION, CASE STUDYRoll Numbers: 13-51 to 13-60

PLANT DESIGN AND PROJECT ENGINEERING, ACTIVE LEARNING ASSIGNMENT

05/02/20232

AIR POLLUTION The atmosphere is a complex natural gaseous

system that is essential to support life on planet Earth.

Air pollution is the introduction of particulates, biological molecules, or other harmful materials into Earth's atmosphere, causing diseases, allergies, death to humans, damage to other living organisms such as animals and food crops, or the natural or built environment.

Air pollution may come from anthropogenic or natural sources.

According to the 2014 WHO report, air pollution in 2012 caused the deaths of around 7 million people worldwide.

05/02/20233

20 Most polluted cities in the world.Source: WHO mid-2016 report

05/02/20234

MAJOR TYPES OF AIR POLLUTANTS AND SOURCES An air pollutant is a substance in the air that can

have adverse effects on humans and the ecosystem. The substance can be solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. A pollutant can be of natural origin or man-made.

Major types of air pollutants, include three basic super sets:1. Particulate matter2. Hazardous gases3. Smoke / fog / smog.

Generally, smoke / fog / and smog are treated side by side effectively with hazardous gases. Many practices consider them alike.

05/02/20235

MAJOR TYPES OF AIR POLLUTANTS AND SOURCES (CONT.) Pollutants are also classified as primary or secondary. Primary pollutants are usually produced from a

process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption. Other examples include carbon monoxide gas from motor vehicle exhaust, or the sulfur dioxide released from factories.

Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary pollutants react or interact. Ground level ozone is a prominent example of a secondary pollutant. 

Some pollutants may be both primary and secondary: they are both emitted directly and formed from other primary pollutants.

05/02/20236

MAJOR TYPES OF AIR POLLUTANTS AND SOURCES (CONT.) There are various locations, activities or factors which

are responsible for releasing pollutants into the atmosphere. These sources can be classified into two major categories.

Anthropogenic (man-made) sources:1. Stationary sources: include smoke stacks of power plants, manufacturing facilities (factories) and waste incinerators, as well as furnaces and other types of fuel-burning heating devices2. Mobile sources: include motor vehicles, marine vessels, and aircraft. 3. Controlled burning:  practices in agriculture and forest management.  Controlled burning stimulates the germination of some desirable forest trees, thus renewing the forest.

05/02/20237

MAJOR TYPES OF AIR POLLUTANTS AND SOURCES (CONT.) 4. Fumes:  from paint, hair

spray, varnish, aerosol sprays and other solvents.5. Military sources: such as nuclear weapons, toxic gases, germ warfare and rocketry.

Natural sources:1. Dust:  from natural sources, usually large areas of land with little or no vegetation.2. Smoke and Volcanic activity: wildfires and volcanic eruptions which produces sulfur, chlorine, and ash particulates

05/02/20238

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL (INDIA) The Air (prevention and control of

pollution) Act, 1981 was designed to control air quality in rapidly developing India.

The Central Government legislated the bill to implement the decisions taken regarding the preservation of the quality of Air and control of air pollution, in Stockholm in the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in June, 1972. (source Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Pt. 11, Sec. 2, dated the 24th November, 1980)

05/02/20239

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL (INDIA) CONT. The Act is designed to prevent, control and

abatement of air-pollution; the provisions relate to preservation of quality of air and control of pollution.

Keeping in view these objects the Act has provided for measures, which are preventive in nature, in the cases of industries to be established; and in the case of industries already established, they are remedial.

In the case of established industries, it insists on obtaining consent of Board, making the industy amenable to the administrative control of the Board. Once a consent is given, the Board can issue orders, directions etc; which are to be complied with by the industry. ( Chaitanya Pulvarising Industry v. Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, A.I.R. 1987 Kant. 82 at p. 86.)

05/02/202310

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL (INDIA) CONT. Central and State Pollution Control Board

constituted under sections 3 and 4 respectively of the Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act, 1974 were authorized to exercise the powers and performs the functions for the prevention and control of air pollution.

The main functions of the Central Board is to improve the quality of air and to prevent, control or abate air pollution in the country.

The Central Board also may:1. Advice the Central Government on any matter concerning the improvement of the quality of air and the prevention, control or abatement of air pollution.

05/02/202311

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL (INDIA) CONT.2. Lay down standards for the quality of air.3. Collect and disseminate information in respect of matters relating to air pollution.

The National Minimum Standards for Air Quality identifies only two categories of areas: Eco Sensitive Areas (notified by Central Government) and non Eco Sensitive Area.

NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) sets up the minimum concentrations of air pollutants that should be present on a yearly and average daily emission basis.

05/02/202312

NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS (NAAQS)

SOURCE: Guidelines for Ambient Air Quality Monitoring, NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY MONITORING SERIES : NAAQMS/ ... /2003-04 CPCB

05/02/202313

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL (INDIA) CONT. Annual Arithmetic mean of minimum 104

measurements in a year twice a week 24 hourly at uniform interval.

24 hourly/8 hourly values should be met 98% of the time in a year. However, 2% of the time, it may exceed but not on two consecutive days.

05/02/202314

AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT Air pollution control equipment can be essentially

classified into two major categories: those which remove particulates and those which remove gaseous matter.

Particulates are often removed by mechanical forces, while gaseous pollutants are removed by chemical and physical means.

Particulate removal involves treatment in settling tanks, centrifuge seperators, wet collectors. In wet collectors, seperation mainly occours due to collision between water droplets and particulate maters.

Filters are also used to collect and analyse the particulate matter in air.

05/02/202315

AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT (CONT.) Gaseous pollutants can be removed from air

streams by absorption, adsorption, condensation or incineration.

Most used processes are adsorption and incineration.

Gas-Liquid absorption in vertical, countercurrent flow through packed, tray or spray towers and scrubbers is a conventional and effective method of gaseous removal.

Adsorption by activated carbon or molecular sieves has received considerable attention in removing the final traces of objectionable gaseous pollutants. It is carried out in large, horizontal fixed beds often equipped with blowers, condensers seperators and controls.

05/02/202316

NOISE POLLUTION Noise is any displeasing human or machine

created sound that disrupts the activity or happiness of human or animal life.

A common form of noise pollution is from transportation, principally motor vehicles.

Noise is measured as a sound level , in dB = 1/10 of a bel (Named after Alexander Graham Bell)

Threshold of hearing is 0 dB Sound of rocket launching is 180 dB Human ear tolerates up to 120 dB

05/02/202317

NOISE POLLUTION (CONT.) dB scale is logarithmic rather than linear. Sound intensity that increases by 3 dB is

perceived as twice as loud. An increase of 10 dB is 10 times as loud, and Add another 10 dB the sound will be perceived

as 100 times loud. Noise pollution leads to high mental and

physical problems in humans and animal life, including hearing loss, anxiety, et cetera.

05/02/202318

SOURCES OF NOISEOutdoor sources

Traffic (road, rail and air)Generator setsIndustriesFire-crackersLoudspeakers and Public Address SystemsConstruction ActivitiesVehicle horns

Indoor sources Air coolers

Air conditionersTelevision, music systemsOther office & home appliances etc.

05/02/202319

SOURCES OF NOISE (CONT.) TRAFFIC NOISE

Road Traffic : Major concern in our country. Increasing vehicle population. Planners lack of concern at the time of planning

for residential areas and other use zones vis-à-vis roads

Lack of driving discipline Indiscriminate use of horns.Air Traffic : Air traffic is increasing at the rate of about 25%

in our country and is expected to cause major concern of noise pollution in coming years.

Rail Traffic: Is of concern where trains passes by residential

and other sensitive areas.

05/02/202320

SOURCES OF NOISE (CONT.) GENERATOR SETS

Due to irregular power supply and increasing demand of power, engine based generator sets, using fuel such as petrol/kerosene, diesel, gas, furnace oil etc, have proliferated in our country causing serious noise pollution. maximum no. of complaints have been due to noise from generator sets.

INDUSTRIESProblem is faced mainly in mixed zones or where other use zones are very near to the industrial zone. in addition, noise is of concern within the industries also.

05/02/202321

SOURCES OF NOISE (CONT.) LOUD SPEAKERS / PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS: Use

of loud speakers / public address systems in functions, meetings, religious places in open areas is a source of serious nuisance.

FIRECRACKERS: Use of firecrackers with high noise level may harm the human hearing system. specially sensitive are small children.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: Noise from construction of roads, buildings etc. near residential and silence zones needs to be controlled by effective strategies.

05/02/202322

ISSUES AND REGULATION ON NOISE POLLUTION IN INDIAStandards notified under Environment Protection Act,

1986

Ambient Noise Standards - 1989Noise Limits for Domestic Appliances/Construction Equipment - 1990Noise Limits for Motor Vehicles – 1990Noise Limits for Diesel Generator Sets - 1999

5. Noise Limits for Fire-crackers - 19996. Noise Limits for Petrol/Kerosene Generator Sets -

20007. Noise Limits for Motor Vehicles (revision) - 20008. Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules – 20009. Noise Limits for Diesel Generator Sets (revision) –

2002.

05/02/202323

ISSUES AND REGULATION ON NOISE POLLUTION IN INDIA (CONT.) NOISE POLLUTION (REGULATION & CONTROL)

RULES, 2000(Notified under EPA, 1986)Public address system

i) Written permission required from authorityii) Not to be used between 10:00 pm – 6:00 am iii) Use permitted between 10.00 pm to 12.00 midnight for 15 days during cultural or religious festivals in a calendar year.

Public complainti) If noise level exceeds the ambient noise standards by 10 dB(A), complaint to the authority ii) Authority to take action

05/02/202324

ISSUES AND REGULATION ON NOISE POLLUTION IN INDIA (CONT.)

Noise was included in the definition of air pollutant in the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act by an amendment in 1987. Ambient noise standards have been notified under Air Act, in 1990.

This Act covers noise from industries/trade.

Implementing agency - SPCBs

05/02/202325

ISSUES AND REGULATION ON NOISE POLLUTION IN INDIA (CONT.) MOTOR VEHECLES ACT (1988) Sections 119 and 120 of the Central Motor Vehicle

Rules, 1989, deals with reduction of noise from motor vehicle.

Section 119 states that ‘every motor vehicles shall be fitted with an electric horn or other device approved by BIS’.

Section 120 requires that every motor vehicle shall be fitted with a device (silencer) which reduces the noise that would otherwise made by escape of exhaust gases from the engine.

It also specifies that every motor vehicle shall be so constructed and maintained as to conform to the noise standards for motor vehicles.

05/02/202326

AMBIENT NOISE STANDARDS (Noise Rules, 2000 and its amendments)

Category of Area / Zone

Limits in dBDay time Night time

Industrial area 75 70Commercial area 65 55Residential area 55 45

Silence Zone 50 40Note :-

1. Day time shall mean from 6.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.2. Night time shall mean from 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m.3. Silence zone is an area comprising not less than 100 meters around hospitals, educational institutions and courts, religious places or any other area which is declared as such by the competent authority.4. Mixed categories of areas may be declared as one of the four above mentioned categories by the competent authority.

ISSUES AND REGULATION ON NOISE POLLUTION IN INDIA (CONT.)

05/02/202327

VEHICULAR POLLUTION Vehicles are one of the major sources of air pollution in major

cities. The air pollution due to vehicles can be attributed to following:

(i) High vehicle density in Indian urban centers result in air pollution buildup near the roadways and at traffic intersections. (ii) Older vehicles are predominant in vehicle vintage. These older vehicles are grossly polluting though in cities like Delhi grossly polluting vehicles have been phased out.

(iii) Inadequate inspection and maintenance facilities result in high emission of air pollutants from vehicles. Emission can be reduced by proper and regular inspection and maintenance of vehicles.

05/02/202328

VEHICULAR POLLUTION (CONT.) (iv) There are large number of two stroke two

wheelers in most of the cities and these two-wheelers are a significant contributor of air pollution.

(v) Adulteration of fuel and fuel products also result in high emissions from vehicles.

(vi) Improper traffic management system and road conditions also result in buildup of air pollutants near the roadways as the emissions are higher when the vehicle is idlying.

05/02/202329

VEHICULAR POLLUTION (CONT.) (vii) Absence of effective mass rapid transport

system and intra-city railway networks have resulted in people using their own vehicles for commuting to workplace. This has resulted in uncontrolled growth of vehicles.

(viii) High population exodus to the urban centers has also resulted in increase in number of vehicles resulting in high levels of vehicular air pollution.

05/02/202330

AIR POLLUTION SCENARIO IN INDIA (CASE STUDY) Air pollution in India is mainly caused from

three sources namely vehicles, industrial and domestic sources. The air pollution is mainly concentrated in following three areas:

1. Major Cities: The problem of air pollution is in major cities where the prominent source of air pollution is vehicles and small/medium scale industries. These cities include Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Kanpur etc. A study carried out in Delhi shows the contribution of industrial (including thermal power plants), vehicular and domestic sources of pollution to the ambient air in Delhi as follows

05/02/202331

Contribution of air pollution from various sources in Delhi (Source MoEF, 1997)

(ii) Critically Polluted Areas: 24 critically polluted areas have been identified in India where the problem of pollution exists. 13 of these areas are as follows:

05/02/202332

10 most polluted cities in India.Source: WHO 2016 report

05/02/202333

AIR POLLUTION SCENARIO IN INDIA (CASE STUDY) (CONT) (iii) Rural Areas: The indoor air pollution exists in

rural areas where the main source of air pollution is domestic fuel used. In rural areas cow dung, woodsticks are used as fuel in household. The kitchen are without any proper ventilation resulting in buildup of air pollutants in the houses.

Reasons for High Air Pollution in India: The reasons for high air pollution in India are as follows:

(i) Poor Quality of Fuel: Fuel of poor quality such as coal, diesel, petrol, fuel oil is used in India. Although during the past few years, various measures have been taken to improve the quality of fuel such as reduction of sulphur in diesel, unleaded petrol etc.

05/02/202334

AIR POLLUTION SCENARIO IN INDIA (CASE STUDY) (CONT.) (ii) Old Process Technology: Old process technology is

employed in many industries especially in small scale industries resulting in high emission of air pollutants(iii) Wrong Siting of Industries: Wrong siting of industries especially close to residential areas results in people getting affected due to air pollution.(iv) No Pollution Preventive Step in Early Stage of Industrialization: No pollution preventive steps were taken in early stage of industrialization which has resulted in high levels of air pollutants in many areas.(v) Poor Vehicle Design: Poor vehicle design especially 2-stroke two wheelers result in high emission of air pollutants.

05/02/202335

AIR POLLUTION SCENARIO IN INDIA (CASE STUDY) (CONT.) (vi) Uncontrolled Growth of Vehicle Population:

Uncontrolled growth of vehicle population in all major cities/towns has resulted in high levels of air pollution.

(vii) No Pollution Prevention and Control System in Small/ Medium Scale Industry: No pollution prevention and control system in small/medium scale industry exists resulting in high levels of air pollution.

(viii) Poor Compliance of Standard in Small/Medium Scale Industries: Poor compliance of standard in small/medium scale industries also result in high levels of air pollution.

05/02/202336

REFERENCES Plant Design and Economics for Chemial

Engineers, Fifth Edition – M.S. Peters, K.D. Timmerhaus, R.E. West, McGraw Hill Education Publication.

Guidelines for Ambient Air Quality Monitoring, NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY MONITORING SERIES : NAAQMS/ ... /2003-04, CPCB

The Air (prevention and control of pollution) Act, 1981, A presentation for the regulators, Miss Charu Gupta, Indira Gandhi Center for Environment Protection

Noise Pollution, a presentation by V.S.S. Nair, Hosptal Engineering Services, Trivendrum, India.