Environment Department

Air pollution

Air pollution comes from many different sources such as factories, power plants, dry cleaners, cars, buses, trucks and even windblown dust and wildfires. Air pollution can threaten the health of human beings, trees, lakes, crops, and animals, as well as damage the ozone layer and buildings. Air pollution also can cause haze, reducing visibility in national parks and wilderness areas. EPA protects human health and the environment through the regulatory process.

INDUSTRIAL EMISSIONS:

Cement Units: All the seven cement units located in the province have installed electrostatic precipitators (EP) for control of dust pollution. Lukky Cement, Askari Cement and Bestway Cement conducted EIA for their units. During extension of Kohat Cement factory additional measures were suggested for dust controls which were implemented. Lukky, Kohat and Bestway are providing monthly data on the tripping of EP system.

Sugar Mills: Mardan Sugar Mills and Takht Bai Sugar Mills were advised for installation of cyclones for control of particulate matter, which were implemented. Implementation of mitigation measures at Chashma Sugar Mills is in progress.

Stone Crushers

• A survey of all stone crusher units located on Warsak road and Kherabad has been completed.
• A design for dust control system has been provided to all units.
• Legal notices have been served on all these stone crushers.
• 3 units have established a dust control system.
• 16 cases have been submitted to the Environmental Tribunal in Lahore.
• Work on preparation of cases of against 21 units located at Kherabad is in final stage.
• A survey for stone crushers units located in Mardan district is in progress.
• Under a Clean Production project three dust control models will be established, one each at Warsak road, Kherabad and Buner.

BRICK KILN EMISSIONS

In collaboration with district administration, EPA conducted raids on 40 brick kilns near Peshawar to check the implementation status of ban on rubber burning in kilns under section 144,188 and 269PPC, 30 kiln owners were arrested and cases registered against them. EPA has again started monitoring of Brick Kilns. The cases of the violators will be sending to Environmental Tribunal.
With introduction of new environment Act which has been passed jointly by the National assembly and parliament, brick kiln community is bound to follow the environment act of Pakistan. Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln (VSBK) has a lot of environmental and economic benefits, which are:
• Coal consumption is reduced 50 % per Kg brick fired
• Fuel saving of around 50%
• Deforestation is reduced, as firewood is not used as fuel
• Air pollution is reduced considerably due to the use of 50 % less fuel and of cleaner combustion as compared to the traditional brick kilns
• 60% less land is used for kilns
• VSBK can be fired in rainy season also

VEHICULAR EMISSIONS

• Vehicular Emission Testing Station (VETS) was established to EPA in 1997. EPA, with collaboration of Traffic Police, challans the smoke emitting vehicles and directs them to contact VETS for further checking
• EPA mobile teams also regularly check the smoke emitting vehicles on the road. During the last three years the mobile teams have jointly checked over 50,000 vehicles. Out of which 33000 vehicles passed the emission test and failed the vehicles on the basis of exhaust analysis
• EPA has launched a campaign against smoke emitting 2-Stroke Rickshaws with the collaboration of Traffic Police and Military Police
• EPA is planning to extend the activity of checking smoke emitting vehicles to other cities of NWFP. For this purpose a Project Proposal for establishing VETS at the three Zonal offices of EPA was prepared which was approved by the Federal Govt. under NEAP program.