Air pollution a threat to Surabaya

Didik Kusbiantoro, Antara/Surabaya

Pollution here over the past few years has risen to an alarming level. But, sadly, most residents are not even aware of the health risks associated with air pollution.

A report released last year by the East Java chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) listed Surabaya as one of 10 major cities in the country with air pollution levels categorized as threatening.

The report states that Surabaya -- a city of some 2.5 million people and the nation's second-largest city -- only enjoys good air quality for between 27 and 51 days, or 17 percent of the year.

The analysis of ambient air quality conducted by the Surabaya Environmental Office indicates only 27 days of good air quality were experienced in the city in 2001, and 40 days in 2002. The condition improved to 70 days in 2003, but declined to 58 days in 2004.

As in other large cities, around 70 percent of air pollution is caused by vehicular emission, and 30 percent from industries, households and others. Based on records from the Surabaya Traffic Police, the number of cars on the road in East Java increases by around 7 percent annually, while roads are being developed at a rate of about 4 percent. In Surabaya, the number of vehicles on the road increased by an average of 910,000 units a year from 1997 to 2001.

With the increasing number of vehicles, air pollution in Surabaya is only getting worse.

Among the harmful pollutants contained in vehicular emission are nitrogen oxide (Nox), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC), sulfur oxide (Sox), lead (PB) and other solid particles. The toxins are hazardous to the health as they can accumulate in the lungs and blood. Carbon monoxide, for example, can disrupt blood circulation, leading to poor concentration and eye sight, and even death. Hydrocarbons can cause ruptures in the respiratory system and throat infections. Lead, including heavy metals, can destroy the nervous and digestive systems and kidneys, and can also reduce children's IQ.

Data released recently indicates children in Surabaya have a blood lead concentration of 68 micrograms on average, which can cause aggressiveness, as well as the inability to concentrate and a reduced IQ.

Sardiyoko, an environmentalist, said that based on several recent studies, the number one pollutants in the air in Surabaya were carbon monoxide and dust particles.

"Most of the pollution is from vehicles," said Sardiyoko. The results of a test conducted by the Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal) and the Bandung Institute of Technology's Public Service Committee (LPM ITB) in 1995 indicated that the total CO emission in Surabaya reached 5.5 million tons each year, 96 percent of which was contributed by vehicles.

The decreasing number of green areas in Surabaya has aggravated pollution in the city. Data from the Surabaya administration shows that the city has only 26,000 hectares of green areas while 32,637 hectares of green areas would be ideal.

Surabaya city spokesman Juli Subiyanto said the administration had been carrying out regreening programs over the past few years. He said the government had planted 111,574 trees in the city between 2002 and 2004, but the pace of regreening programs needed to be stepped up.