"Clean air zones" in Haifa = reduction of air pollution from transportation
The Municipality of Haifa began preparing software for the implementation of a "reduced air emissions zone" in the residential neighborhoods of Haifa during the month of April. As part of the plan, it will not be possible to drive heavy diesel vehicles that are defined as pollutants in close proximity to population concentrations in Haifa. The plan will be carried out further to Government Decision 529 of 06.09.15 and according to the document of understandings of 26.08.15 between: the Municipality of Haifa, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Transportation.
The progrem target
The purpose of the program is to reduce air pollution caused by transportation in the city of Haifa.
The program focuses on the air pollutants considered to have the most significant potential for health damage: fine respirable particles of the PM2.5 type and nitrogen oxides. Therefore, the program refers to vehicles defined by the Ministry of Environmental Protection as "polluting vehicles" driven by diesel engines, which are the most significant source of these pollutants in relation to the extent of their travel.
Here are the first findings:
These findings reflect the existing situation only without the project running, and are based on counts
Traffic.
1. Particles:
Particles are considered the most problematic pollutant emitted by vehicles today. Probably the program too
focuses on them, when a vehicle defined as a "polluter" that will install a system to reduce particle emissions will be able to enter the restricted area.
Below is the distribution of emissions by vehicle sector:
The following table shows the total emissions in the existing situation from each sector:
Table - total emissions in the existing situation from each sector The findings indicate quite predictably that most of the emissions are from the heavy vehicles:
About 52% of particle emissions in the indoor area are from buses and trucks.
Private vehicles are also a significant source of particle emissions, due to their large share of the total number of vehicles traveled.
2. Nitrogen oxides:
The following table shows the total emissions in the existing state from each sector - NOX:
Due to its decisive share in travel (about 88%), the private vehicle is the dominant source of nitrogen oxide emissions in the Haifa area, despite its low emissions per km
It is followed by heavy vehicles, trucks and buses, which are dominant contributors to pollution, which together contribute approx.
35% of the emissions. The activation of a "reduced emission zone" is expected to reduce emissions from these sectors.
In light of the findings of the pollutant analysis, the first part of the program is focused on reducing particle emissions from heavy vehicles. This is because these vehicles were found to be the most significant in terms of the scope of emissions of this pollutant, and since particles emitted from diesel vehicles are considered the most problematic pollutant for human health.
Program highlights:
1. The plan for a reduced emissions zone planned in Haifa is expected to reduce pollutant emissions
the air from vehicles.
The expected reduction rate in the first part is about 13% for respirable PM2.5 particles and about 4% for nitrogen oxides.
2. The plan is expected to reduce the concentrations of pollutants in the environment and reduce the potential for causing anomalies
Environmental systems for nitrogen oxides in the Haifa area.
3. The plan is not expected to cause substantial changes in the traffic pattern in the area, because only a minority of the trucks whose movement will be restricted are currently only passing traffic in the areas where the plan is planned.
The program is not expected to cause changes in systemic traffic indicators - hours and vehicle kilometers in the area.
4. The plan is not expected to worsen the air quality in the nearby areas, and probably will not
for a certain improvement, as a result of an improvement in the emissions of the cleaner vehicles that arrive in the area
The program is activated through the adjacent areas.
5. The plan is not expected to harm the accessibility of different population groups in the space where it is planned or
outside of it.
6. No damage is expected to the level of service of the passengers in public transportation and therefore it seems that there is no need
In the change or addition of service lines as a result of the program.
The status of the program for the month of June 2016 is presented for your reference in the following article:
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