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Mapa Institute of Technology

School of Civil, Environmental and


Geological Engineering
Intramuros, Manila

Report on Mass
Transportation
Sanchez, Joshua Edward L.
CE171 / C1
November 05, 2016

Submitted to:
Engr. Geoffrey Cueto

1.) What are the fuels used by mass transportation?


During the past centuries, petroleum based fuels are widely used for its transportation
vehicles. After several time have passed, mass transportation like buses and jeepneys made use
of gasoline and diesel fuel as their energy sources. Alternative geological sources to conventional
petroleum deposits, such as oil from low-permeability geological formations (tight oil), are
adding appreciably to the supply of transportation fuels of any particular nation. But liquids from
those sources cannot help solve the environmental issues associated with burning fossil fuels.
Efforts have been made to find such alternatives to oil. Biofuels, which provided about
4.9% of the nations transportation fuel in 2015, chiefly in the form of ethanol added to gasoline,
are an option, but with limits. Corn ethanol production is energy-intensive, reduces the acreage
devoted to growing food and require substantial amounts of water. Alternative types of vehicleshybrids, all-electric vehicles or buses, and vehicles powered by hydrogen or natural gas share the
goal of reducing our dependence on oil.

Figure 1. U.S. Transportation Energy Sources/Fuels as of 2015


Different types of energy sources (or fuels) used for transportation in the United States:
- Petroleum products: made from crude oil and liquids from natural gas processing
including gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, residual fuel oil and propane.
- Biofuels: ethanol and biodiesel
- Natural gas
- Electricity (produced from many different energy sources)

Gasoline used in cars, motorcycles, light trucks and boats. Aviation gasoline is used in many
types of airplanes.
Diesel fuel (distillate fuel) used mainly by trucks, buses and trains and in boats and ships.
Kerosene used in jet airplanes and some types of helicopters.
Residual fuel oil used in ships.
Biofuels are added to gasoline and diesel fuel.
Natural Gas used to operate compressors to move natural gas in pipelines.
Propane (hydrocarbon gas liquid) used in cars, buses and trucks, Most of the vehicles that use
propane are in government and private vehicle fleets.
Electricity used by public mass transit systems and by electric vehicles.
Petroleum is the main source of energy for transportation wherein it provided about 92%
of the total energy the U.S. transportation sector used. Gasoline is the dominant transportation
fuel in the U.S.

2.) What are the negative impacts of public transport?


Nowadays, there have been many factors that contribute to the negative impacts of public
transport. Its major concern relates to the environment because it is a major user of energy and
burns most of the worlds petroleum. The matter of transportation and environment is
contradictory in nature since transportation imparts considerable socioeconomic benefits but at
the same time, transportation is impacting on its environmental systems.
This creates air pollution including nitrous oxides and particulates, and is a significant
contributor to global warming through emission of carbon dioxide for sector. By subsector, road
transport is the largest contributor to global warming. The transportation sector is a major source
of greenhouse gas emissions.
Other environmental impacts of transport systems include traffic congestion and
automobile-oriented urban sprawl, which can consume natural habitat and agricultural lands.
The health impact of transport emissions is also of concern. The people are no longer
active. A recent survey of the studies on the effect of traffic emissions on pregnancy outcomes
has linked exposure to emissions to adverse effects on gestational duration and possibly also
intrauterine growth.

Figure 2. Traffic emissions also contribute


to air pollution

Figure 3. Health impacts of traffic emissions

3.) What are the health effects of emission from mass transportation?
Carbon Monoxide a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas emitted from the vehicle's
exhaust as a result of incomplete combustion. It interferes with the blood's ability to carry
oxygen to the brain, heart, and other tissues. Unborn or newborn children and people with heart
disease are in greatest danger from this pollutant, but even healthy people can experience
headaches, fatigue and reduced reflexes due to CO exposure.
Ozone it is not emitted directly into the air but is produced in the atmosphere when
gases called hydrocarbons combine with nitrogen oxide compounds in the presence of sunlight.
In the body, ozone reacts with lung tissue. It can inflame and cause harmful changes in breathing
passages, decrease the lungs' working ability, and cause coughing and chest pains. Even healthy
people are found to be sensitive to ozone exposure. *Ozone smog at ground level
Sulfur Dioxide emitted when fuel containing sulfur is burned in diesel engines. Sulfur
dioxide exposure constricts air passages, creating problems for people with asthma and for young
children, whose small lungs need to work harder than adults lungs.

Nitrogen Dioxide is produced when fuel is burned. These compounds contribute to


ozone formation and are a health problem themselves. The effect of NOx exposure on the
respiratory system is similar to that of ozone and sulfur dioxide.
Lead has been reduced in gasoline. As a result, there is a significant drop in public
exposure to outdoor lead pollution. Lead poisoning can reduce mental ability, damage blood,
nerves, and organs, and raise blood pressure. Even small ingestions or inhalations of lead can be
harmful because lead accumulates in the body
Particulate Matter includes microscopic particles and tiny droplets of liquid. Because of
their small size, these particles are not stopped in the nose and upper lungs by the body's natural
defenses but go deep into the lungs, where they may become trapped and cause irritation.
Exposure to particulate matter can cause wheezing and similar symptoms in people with asthma
or sensitive airways. Particulate matter can serve as a vector for toxic air pollutants.
Toxic Air Pollutants such as benzene and formaldehyde are substances from automobile
emissions that are known to cause or are suspected of causing cancer, genetic mutation, birth
defects, or other serious illnesses in people even at relatively low levels. The chemicals can be
inhaled directly or carried by small particles (dust or lint) into the lungs.

4.) What are the government regulations and laws in controlling air pollution and emission?
Include the agencies and its role.
Republic Act No. 8749: An Act providing for a comprehensive air pollution control
policy and for other purposes. (also known as Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999). It was enacted
by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines. Chapter 1 Article 1 Section 2
states the following Declaration of Principles:
-

The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful
ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.
The State shall promote and protect the global environment to attain sustainable
development while recognizing the primary responsibility of local government units to
deal with environmental problems.
The State recognized that the responsibility of cleaning the habitat and environment is
primarily area-based.
The State also recognizes the principle that polluters must pay.
The State recognizes that a clean and healthy environment is for the good of all and
should, therefore, be the concern of all.

Having healthy environment is one of the purposes of the Act. With these principles, polluters
may have the idea of giving importance to the environment by doing something excellent that
will contribute to healthy air pollution.

Republic Act No. 3931: An act creating the national water and air pollution control
commission. It is to maintain reasonable standards of purity for the waters and of this country
with their utilization for domestic, agricultural, industrial and other legitimate purposes.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
primary agency responsible for the conservation,
management, development and proper use of the countrys
environment and natural resources. They shall serve as the
central depository of all data and information related to air
quality. They also have the power to closely supervise all or
parts of the air quality action plan until such time the local
government unit concerned can assume the function to
standards set by the Department and designate areas where
specific pollutants have already exceeded ambient standards
as non-attainment areas.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) this department is in
charge of the emission charge system and impose on and collect
regular emission fees from said dischargers as part of the
emission permitting system or vehicle registration renewal
system, as the case may be. The system shall encourage the
industries and motor vehicles to abate, reduce or prevent
pollution. The basis of the fees include, but is not limited to, the
volume and toxicity of any emitted pollutant.

Department of Energy (DOE) in consultation with the Bureau


of Product Standards (BPS) of the DTI, the DOST, the
representatives of the fuel and automotive industries, academe
and the consumers shall set the specifications for all types of fuel
and fuel-related products, to improve fuel composition for
increased efficiency and reduced emissions The DOE shall also
specify the allowable content of additives in all types of fuels and
fuel-related products. Other agencies involved in the
performance of this function shall be required to coordinate with
the DOE and transfer all documents and information necessary for the implementation of this
provision.

Department, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), the Department of the
Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine
Information Agency (PIA) they shall encourage the participation of other government agencies
and the private sector including NGOs, POs, the academe, environmental groups and other
private entities in a multi-sectoral information campaign.
5.) What are the suggestions and recommendations to achieve environmentally public transport?
I suggest that there should be proper maintenance of the public transportation vehicles
and adapt to the use of biofuels instead of using petroleum based fuels. I also suggest that there
should be encouragement for healthy community design and promotion of safe and convenient
opportunities for physical activity by supporting active transportation infrastructure. The laws
must be strictly enforced because nowadays, there has been old transportation vehicles that
travels in the country that emits a lot of smoke and they were not properly taken well. It still
contributes to the air pollution so there must be an enforcement to the provided laws. Lastly, I
recommend that we must seek solutions to reduce the pollution generated by highways and roads
and requiring strict inspection for the public transportation vehicles.

References:
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (n.d.). Energy Use for Transportation. Retrieved from
http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/?page=us_energy_transportation
The National Academics of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. (n.d.). How We Use Energy.
Retrieved from http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-use/transportation/
Wikipedia. (2016, November 03). Environmental impact of transport. Retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_transport
Washington State Department of Ecology. (n.d.). Health Effects from Automobile Emissions.
Retrieved from https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/documents/0002008.pdf
Madlambayan, Mariel. (2012, January 14). Current Laws Regarding Air Pollution in the
Philippines. Retrieved from http://airpollutionandmanagement.blogspot.com/2012/01/
current-laws-regarding-air-pollution-in.html
The ChanRobles Group. (n.d.). Philippine Environment Laws Republicc Act No. 3931, An Act
Creating the National Water and Air Pollution Control Commission Chan Robles
Virtual Law Library. Retrieved from http://www.chanrobles.com/RA3931.htm#.

WBz5i_p97IU.

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