Refineries vs. health<\/p>\n
Perfect timing! Last week the government revived the
\nnationwide campaign for the use of unleaded gasoline -- revived,
\nbecause like so many other things, the campaign had petered out
\nwith little progress toward its target of completely phasing out
\nthe use of leaded gasoline by the end of the year.<\/p>\n
The timing was interesting indeed, because a group assigning
\nitself to oversee it was just about to sue the Ministry of Energy
\nand Mineral Resources \"for ignoring its own decree\" issued in
\n1999 about the gradual end to leaded gas.<\/p>\n
Too much sarcasm can be as unhealthy as the air we breathe;
\nbut it is doubtful that the lead accumulated over the years has
\naffected the sensibilities of our authorities and experts so much
\nthat Indonesia's cities are still plodding their way out of these
\ntoxic fumes, over 30 long years since the dangers of lead in the
\nair were exposed and confirmed by scientific studies.<\/p>\n
Study after study has shown us how unseen emissions (lead in
\nthe air we breathe is largely blamed on vehicle emissions) are
\nharming ourselves and our children, not to mention the police
\nofficers, bus drivers and others, who are exposed to hours of
\ntoxins each day.<\/p>\n
It causes irreversible damage to the kidney and liver, and
\nreduced brain development in children, but the State Ministry for
\nthe Environment only has the power to \"appeal\" to suppliers,
\nparticularly state-run oil and gas company Pertamina, \"to make
\nthis program a success.\"<\/p>\n
While unleaded gas was first introduced in Jakarta in 1991,
\nthe capital retains the top rank among the world's most polluted
\ncities. It has been difficult to attribute the shift to cleaner
\nfuel on the \"natural\" ability of people in wealthy countries to
\nunderstand the real danger; nor can we blame it on the economic
\ncrisis of the late 1990s, as even in Southeast Asia we continue
\nto fall further behind neighbors whose governments display much
\nmore care about their citizens' health.<\/p>\n
From time to time, the city administration trumpets a \"new\"
\nannouncement that vehicles over 10-years-old will no longer be
\nallowed on the streets; but even Governor Sutiyoso hasn't shown
\nhis usual stubbornness in the face of protests.<\/p>\n
So we're stuck in a rut -- the supply of unleaded gas, 14
\nyears after it was first introduced here, remains only available
\nin Great Jakarta, parts Batam and Bali, while leaded gas must
\nstill be available for old cars.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile lessons abound on how to switch to cleaner fuel,
\nfrom the United States to neighboring Thailand. Experts have
\nshown many a minister that beyond the fears of high costs of
\nupgrading the refineries, there are billions of dollars to be
\nsaved in medical costs for citizens who must breathe the lead.<\/p>\n
An expert from the United Nations Environment Program cited in
\nthis paper last week the World Bank's study of the United States'
\nexperience since the 1970s; that \"for every US$1 invested in the
\nphase-out effort, $10 was saved in medical costs and resulted in
\nincreased productivity and environmental health.\"<\/p>\n
The Committee for Leaded Fuel Phase-out, which earlier planned
\nto file the above mentioned lawsuit, has also cited studies
\nshowing our willingness to spend over $100 million for health and
\nother related costs owing to polluted air in Bandung alone,
\nrather than invest in preventive measures for one of our most
\ncongested cities.<\/p>\n
There have however been small signs of progress: Thanks to the
\ncampaign for unleaded gas, researchers say that in Jakarta
\ntesting of blood samples of dozens of children in 2001 showed
\ndecreasing levels of lead.<\/p>\n
Taking proper care of our cars and giving up our old ones, to
\na collectors' museum, is the sacrifice we need to make for own
\nhealth and that of our children.<\/p>\n
As for the government, it has once again invited the repeated
\ncriticism of the lack of political will. As in the past, the
\nministry in charge of the environment has never been given a
\nportfolio; which might otherwise help it to push for concerted
\nefforts across the administration. Apart for waiting forever for
\nthe adjustment of refineries, we might, with better policies, be
\nencouraged to use better public transportation, and discouraged
\nto buy more cars by imposing a progressive taxation scheme.<\/p>\n
Then we would not see a feeble call from a government body
\namounting to something like, \"You're choking my son, could you
\nplease stop?\"<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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