Urban Air Quality Management Project (IDA Grant: TF 023846)

Background Information

The Government of Sri Lanka has obtained an IDF Grant from the World Bank to strengthen the institutional and policy framework for urban air quality management in Colombo.

The overall objective of the proposed activity is to help develop institutions and policies needed to reverse the deterioration in Colombo's air quality and its accompanying adverse health effects from exposure to fine particles, lead and other vehicle emissions.

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The program consisted of four components.

1. Vehicle Emissions Reduction
   The grant was used to strengthen the capacity of the Department of Motor Traffic, the Planning Unit of the Ministry of Transport, and the Central Environmental Authority for vehicle emissions control, and to assist in revising in-use vehicle emission standards, establishing an inspection and maintenance program, limiting the number of polluting vehicles on the road, awareness-raising, and exploring innovative partnership arrangements and financing mechanisms.
2. Motor Fuel Quality Improvement
   This component facilitated policy decisions on implementing realistic, fiscally sound and socially beneficial plans for phasing out leaded gasoline, improving diesel quality and rationalising demand for these fuels which is currently distorted by a large price differential. In particular, the grant was used to examine the feasibility of tightening gasoline and diesel quality standards; analyse fiscal, financial and public health implications of changes in fuel specifications and relative prices as well as the impact of these changes on low-income groups; and recommend possible options to the Government of Sri Lanka.
3. Fiscal Policies on Fuels and Vehicles
   Alternative options for pricing diesel and gasoline and levying duties on different vehicles was examined, from the point of view of long-term fiscal sustainability, impacts on households' welfare (expenditure) and decreasing most harmful vehicular emissions. While the activity addresses issues raised during discussions on components (1) and (2), it is proposed as a separate component because of different expertise and main counterpart agency required for its implementation.
4. Institutional Strengthening
   The grant supported strengthening of the current institutional and organisational capacity for air quality management through the establishment of Air Resource Management Centre (AirMAC) under the Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources.

What we have done so far:

1. Institutional Strengthening Component
• Established the Air Resource Management Centre
• Centre was furnished with the IT equipment and furniture
• Published Newsletters, brochures, leaflets, posters, stickers and newspaper articles for public & vehicle owners awareness
• Held an Institutional development workshop
• Held 44 meetings on crash programme to enforce Mobile air Emissions, Fuel Quality and vehicle Specification Standards for Importation.
2. Vehicle Emission Reduction Component
• Procured an International consultant and a local consultant
• Developed a plan for vehicle emission control, through the International Consultant
• Purchased 2 Gas Analysers & 2 Smoke meters for pilot programmes on vehicle emission control.
• Completed 2 pilot vehicle emission monitoring programmes having tested 700 vehicles such as buses, trucks, lorries, cars, duel purpose vehicles, two & three wheelers
• Arrangements underway to establish Nation wide network of 70-vehicle emission testing centres.
• Held 5 awareness workshops about vehicle emission reduction
• Held vehicle emission reduction awareness campaign with Rotary Club
• Trained 50 technical officers to train mechanics on vehicle emission reduction.
• Trained 10 Traffic Police Officers to testing for vehicle emissions.
3. Fiscal Policies on Fuels & Vehicles Component
• Procured an International consultant and a local consultant
• A report was prepared with the recommendation on fiscal policies on fuels & vehicles through the World Bank and an International Consultant
4. Fuel Quality Improvement Component
• Introduced unleaded petrol Island wide
• Procured an International consultant
• A report was compiled with the recommendation on fuel quality improvement through the World Bank and International Consultant
• Held an awareness workshop on Lead free petrol
• Improved the diesel & petrol quality according to the new gazette regulation

Clean Air Initiative Project

The Government of Sri Lanka has obtained a grant from United States Asia Environmental Partnership (USAID) to strengthen the institutional framework for urban air quality management in Sri Lanka.

1. Vehicle Emission Reduction Component
• Arrangements underway to establish Nation wide network of 80-vehicle emission testing centres.
• Held 20 awareness workshops on proposed vehicle emission standards & implementation to Private Bus Owners in 20 districts that include Colombo, Trincomalee, Vaunia, Rathnapura, Ampara, Kurunegala, Badulla & Negombo etc.
• Held a teachers training workshop on air quality management & health impacts.
2. Fuel Quality Improvement Component
• Introduced unleaded petrol Island wide
• Held an awareness workshop on Lead free petrol
3. Awareness Creation
• Established a web site (www.airmacsl.org) to disseminate information to the people
• Held 2 workshop to discuss Clean Air 2007 Action Plan
• Publishing air quality monitoring data in newspapers and electronic media
• Published Newsletters, brochures, leaflets, posters, stickers and newspaper articles for public & vehicle owners awareness
• Held 3 awareness exhibitions about air quality management and health impacts at BMICH - Colombo, University of Jayawardanapura & U. B. Wanninayaka Vidyalaya - Galgamuwa.
• Prepared 2 video films about Air Quality Management and health impacts to using awareness programmes for school children, general public, vehicle operators and vehicle owners.

Future Actions :

1. Institutional Strengthening Component
• Institutionalization of the Air Resource Management Center (AirMAC)
• Finalize the "Clean Air 2007 Action Plan"
• Develop an emission inventory & an air quality model for Colombo and Sri Lanka
• Studies on economics & environmental costs related to air pollution
2. Vehicle Emission Reduction Component
• Train 500 garage mechanics Island wide on reduce vehicle emission of the motor vehicles
• Establish 80 Vehicle Emission Testing Centres Island wide
• Monitor ambient air quality in 10 cities.
• Fiscal Policies on Fuels & Vehicles Component
• Implement the new fiscal policies on fuels & vehicles according to the new gazette regulation
3. Fuel Quality Improvement Component
• Test the fuel quality annually
• Promote research studies on improvement of ambient air through new fuel
4. Awareness Creation
• Organize awareness programmes on indoor air pollution