Latest news with #smog
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Khaleej Times
Indian capital bans fuel for old cars in anti-pollution bid
India's capital banned fuel sales to ageing vehicles on Tuesday as authorities try to tackle the sprawling megacity's hazardous air pollution. The city is regularly ranked one of the most polluted capitals globally with acrid smog blanketing its skyline every winter. At the peak of the smog, levels of PM2.5 pollutants -- dangerous cancer-causing microparticles small enough to enter the bloodstream through the lungs -- surge to more than 60 times the World Health Organization's recommended daily maximum. Petrol cars older than 15 years, and diesel vehicles older than 10, were already banned from operating on New Delhi's roads by a 2018 Supreme Court ruling. But millions flout the rules. According to official figures, over six million such vehicles are plying the city's streets. The ban that came into force on Tuesday seeks to keep them off the roads by barring them from refuelling. Police and municipal workers were deployed at fuel stations across Delhi, where number plate-recognising cameras and loudspeakers were installed. "We have been instructed to call in scrap car dealers if such vehicles come in," said a traffic policeman posted at a fuelling station in the city. From November, the ban will be extended to satellite cities around the capital, an area home to more than 32 million people. A study in the Lancet medical journal attributed 1.67 million premature deaths in India to air pollution in 2019. Each winter, vehicle and factory emissions couple with farm fires from surrounding states to wrap the city in a dystopian haze. Cooler temperatures and slow-moving winds worsen the situation by trapping deadly pollutants. Piecemeal government initiatives, such as partial restrictions on fossil fuel-powered transport and water trucks spraying mist to clear particulate matter from the air, have failed to make a noticeable impact.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
How Delhi plans to make it rain to combat air pollution
Delhi is preparing to conduct its first-ever artificial rain (cloud seeding) trials between 4 and 11 July to combat its severe air pollution. The pilot project involves a small aircraft releasing a mix of silver iodide, iodised salt, and rock salt into moisture-rich clouds to induce rainfall. This initiative marks Delhi's first deployment of weather modification to tackle chronic smog, which causes significant health issues and premature deaths annually. While previous attempts to launch a similar project stalled due to bureaucratic hurdles, this new trial has secured the necessary authorisations and funding. Experts caution that while cloud seeding may offer temporary relief, sustained efforts to curb emissions from vehicles, construction, and crop burning are essential for lasting improvements in air quality. Delhi plans to create first artificial rain in bid to tackle toxic air
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
How farm fires intensify Delhi's post-monsoon smog problem
The post-monsoon period in Delhi has become a time of smog. In November, the city's pollution index reached its highest levels, classified as 'severe plus', cloaking the city in thick, brown smog and forcing schools and offices to close. Prof Andre Prévôt, of the Paul Scherrer Institute, who led a group of scientists investigating the causes, said: 'The visibility drops drastically – often to just a few hundred metres – and it feels as if standing in a heavy soup of pollution. 'There's a persistent burnt smell and the pollution appears palpable. It is a physical experience that goes beyond what numbers alone can convey.' Dr Kaspar Rudolf Dällenbach, one of the lead scientists, said: 'The Indo-Gangetic plain is one of the most polluted regions in the world, where extreme air pollution meets high population density, leading to substantial impacts on public health.' The research by Dällenbach's team has confirmed agricultural fires as the main cause of the post-monsoon smog. This comes from farmers setting fire to rice stubble to quickly clear their fields to plant wheat seed and achieve two crops a year. During the worst smog, the researchers found that particle pollution from agricultural fires accounted for 32% of the daily deaths from air pollution in Delhi and 53% in Kanpur. This amounted to 1,072 attributable deaths in Delhi in November and December, and 259 in Kanpur. Women and older people were the most likely to be affected. Smog in Delhi often arrives overnight and residents wake up to find their city filled with pollution. In the post-monsoon period, the researchers found smog typically started with fires lit during mid-afternoon in the Punjab. As polluted air travels towards Delhi, it gathers more smoke along the way, reaching the city overnight. Sunlight then causes the pollutants to react together to form further smog, before reaching Kanpur after 24 hours; a total distance of more than 370 miles (600km). Other sources of pollution included dung, grass and wood burning. This is a common home heating source in rural India and Kanpur was especially affected in the winter. In Delhi, the researchers found particles from industrial pollution, including chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics, laminates and adhesives, and in recycling electronic waste. Particle pollution from traffic was greatest in Delhi. The stubble problem is partly caused by a transition to modern mechanical harvesting, but other types of machinery may be the answer. One such device is the 'happy seeder'. Towable behind most types of tractor, it can plant wheat without first clearing rice stubble and tilling the soil. The rice stubble is retained, rather than burned, and improves soil fertility and water retention. The government is subsidising these new types of machinery but farmers need more support to become confident with their use.
Globe and Mail
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Globe and Mail
Road lines fading faster after environmental rule, say local politicians – raising costs and safety concerns
Municipalities across the country say a government regulation that limits a group of chemicals used in painting road lines is hitting their budgets hard. Without the chemicals, they say, road lines fade more quickly, putting drivers at risk and forcing municipalities to repaint them more often. 'It seems like something small but it's actually something that affects every municipality across the country,' said Tim Tierney, vice-president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and an Ottawa city councillor. The federal regulations limit the allowable concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) − chemicals in paint products used for road markings − to 150 grams per litre in those products from 450. VOCs are also found in nail polish and hairsprays. The lower limit is required only from May 1 to Oct. 15, when the weather is mild and air pollution is a concern. These are the months during which most municipalities paint their road lines. The regulations by Environment and Climate Change Canada were put forward because VOCs contribute to the formation of both particulate matter and ground-level ozone, which are the two main components of smog. 'Health impacts from smog include irritated eyes, nose and throat. Smog can worsen existing heart and lung problems or may cause lung cancer with regular long-term exposure,' spokesperson Brandon Clim said in a statement. Gary LeRoux, president of the Canadian Coatings Association, said a steep drop in VOC concentration results in 'inherent issues with adhesion and durability.' Councillors across the country say the regulations overlook safety concerns on roads. They say municipalities now require multiple rounds of repaints a year as fading road lines continue to put drivers, pedestrians and motorists' lives at risk. Clark Somerville, councillor for the Town of Halton Hills and the region of Halton, said the regulation is ultimately costing Canadian taxpayers more, with their money being spent 'unnecessarily.' 'As the road painting is disappearing quicker, we are now spending taxpayers dollars to go out and repaint the roads more than what we had to before,' Mr. Somerville said. Rural municipalities say it's particularly an issue for them because their roads are darker and more dangerous at night. 'Anyone that gets behind a vehicle knows how important and key it is to have those lines on the road,' said Kara Westerlund, president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta and councillor for Brazeau County. 'Especially when you're in rural areas where we don't have [adequate] street lighting.' Ms. Westerlund, who represents 69 rural municipalities in Alberta, said it's not just councillors or elected officials who have been raising this issue. She said first responders, police services and volunteer firefighters are pointing to disappearing road markings to explain some road accidents. 'It's really tough because everyone wants to be a good steward to the environment, but I just think we have to pick and choose our battles,' said Mr. Tierney, the Ottawa councillor. 'And safety is a real one.' While councillors such as Mr. Somerville are calling for more funding to cover the cost of keeping up road lines, arguing that municipalities do not have the necessary 'wiggle room' in their budgets, Ms. Westerlund said more attention should be paid to the paint. 'Before throwing more funding at crews to paint the lines, let's get to the root of the issue and that is the paint itself,' Ms. Westerlund said. 'Let's find solutions there and move forward from there.' Mr. Clim, the Environment Canada spokesperson, said other factors also determine how long road markings last – traffic volume, weather conditions and how snow and ice are managed. The department 'has not received any technical information indicating that the VOC limits for traffic markings affect the product's performance,' Mr. Clim said. David Saucier, director of issues management at the Canadian Coatings Association, said the federal government should go back to the drawing board and consult industry experts. 'What are we compromising here?' Mr. Saucier said. 'If we're going to compromise health and safety for pedestrians and motorists, what are we saving?' Mr. Tierney said the regulation has had a positive impact when applied to products such as hairsprays or nail polish, 'even wall paint.' 'But when it comes to road painting specifically there doesn't seem to be a magic formula to make it work yet.'
CTV News
06-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Warm, smoggy and rainy weekend forecast for Montreal
Smog obscures the Montreal skyline on June 25, 2023. (Graham Hughes / The Canadian Press) Montrealers can expect a mix of warmth and showers this weekend, as daytime highs in the mid-twenties continue. A low of 17 degrees Celcius Friday night could move to a high of 26 degrees on Saturday. Smoggy skies in the greater Montreal area are also expected to improve. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has a special weather statement in effect for the region. It notes poor air quality and reduced visibility, due to smoke from wildfires in the Prairies. montreal smog However, Montrealers could have sun and clouds by Saturday afternoon. For Saturday night, a low of 14 degrees is expected ahead of more sun and clouds with a high of 25 degrees on Sunday. Sunday could also bring showers. There is a 60 per cent chance that roughly 3 millimetres could hit the area. Montrealers may want their rain gear ready for next week as well. There is also a 70 per cent chance that showers could start the week.
