Motor vehicle emissions - a killer

Motor vehicle emissions are composed of the by-products which come out of the exhaust systems and contribute to air pollution and smog in large cities.

Main motor vehicle emissions:

NO_x

nitrogen oxides NO and NO₂ react with ammonia, moisture, and other compounds to form nitric acid vapor and related particles. Small particles can penetrate deeply into sensitive lung tissue and damage it, causing premature death in extreme cases. Inhalation of such particles may cause or worsen respiratory diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis.

It may also aggravate existing heart disease.  In a 2005 U.S. EPA study the largest emissions of NOx came from on road motor vehicles.

Carbon monoxide (CO)

Carbon monoxide poisoning is the most common type of fatal air poisoning in many countries. Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless and tasteless, but highly toxic. It combines with hemoglobin to produce carboxyhemoglobin, which is ineffective for delivering oxygen to bodily tissues. In the U.S. 60% of carbon monoxide is caused by on road vehicles

Carbon dioxide (CO₂)

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. Motor vehicle CO₂ emissions are part of the anthropogenic contribution to the growth of CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere which is believed by a majority of scientists to play a significant part in climate change. Motor vehicles are calculated to generate about 20 per-cent of the European Union's man-made CO₂emissions, with passenger cars contributing about 12 per-cent.

Let's reduce the number of passenger cars on our roads!!

The department of energy yesterday announced a 23 cents increase, which sees the price soar as high as R10.77 per litre in Gauteng for 95 octane from Wednesday. On the coast the price will rocket to R10.47.

Diesel rose by 36c to just over R10 a litre and the price of wholesale paraffin rose by 41c per litre to about R7.70 per litre.

The department confirmed it was the highest petrol price in recent years but could not say whether it was the highest yet. But Econometrix senior economist Tony Twine told Weekend Argus that the price of petrol was at its highest.

“The cost of all fuel has increased by at least 25 percent over the last year. Petrol increased by about 35 percent since the start of the year, from R8.29 in December 2010 to R10.60 (in Gauteng) this year. Diesel increased by 25 percent and paraffin by 40 percent,” said Twine.

... He said the poor would be most affected. “Those who earn R10 000 or less per month will be hardest hit. Prices will rise in virtually all sectors, from food to clothing, basically anything that requires transport to reach consumers. We’ll see people try to further tighten their belts by mainly cutting into food and transport budgets – but in many cases it may not be possible.”

Mehlomakulu, an independent contractor who delivers goods to township residents, said petrol already cost him R120 to R150 per day. “Petrol is very important to me. It’s my living. But I can’t afford it if it goes up all the time.” (from the Weekend Argus)