ASEAN hopes to reduce pollution emission by 4%

BANDUNG (JP): Experts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are pushing for a massive reduction in pollutant emissions by reducing its growth to 4 percent per year.

The retrenchment of pollutant emissions was one of the proposals put forth during an ASEAN workshop here yesterday, which was attended by representatives of the association's seven- members.

The meeting suggested that pollutant emission growth be no higher than an annual 4 percent between the years 2000 to 2020. The pollutants identified included nitrogen, sulfide and carbon.

After opening yesterday's workshop, Umar Said, the secretary- general of the Indonesian Ministry of Mines and Energy, said such a reduction program would depend on the technologies used by the countries.

"We know that nitrogen emissions result from high-temperature burning. So the strategy is to use technology which avoids incineration at high temperatures," he explained.

He also said that the state minister of environment's office had issued a decree underlining the need to reduce emissions from electric power stations and other sources which emit sulfur dioxide.

Speaking on the use of alternative energy, Umar claimed that Indonesia was one of the leaders in this field.

He said that coal and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) are some alternatives already being used.

He pointed to the use of LPG in cars, particularly taxi cabs. According to Umar, some 500 taxis in Jakarta were now using the gas as an alternative energy source.

He admitted, however, that a wider use of alternative energy was a long-term objective, and could not be achieved in a short span of time.

Umar pointed to a recent survey which indicated that it would take the country at least a decade to prepare the infrastructures required for using a substitute for gasoline.

One major obstacle would be "socializing" the public with the use of this alternative energy form, who are presently users of gasoline-powered automobiles.

Umar remarked that if Indonesia remained consistent with the program, there would be -- at least in Jakarta -- a significant reduction of pollution from automobiles.

When asked about the possibility of biomass as an alternative fuel, Umar said there has been a notable decline of its use in recent years.

"But that's actually quite normal, because it's also happening in the developed countries. Biomass is really mostly used in the rural areas," he said.

Umar said that to fulfill the country's high demands for energy, oil exploration in new areas was being continued.

"Although the price of gasoline is currently not very profitable for (Indonesia) to continue exploration in new areas, there's no drastic decline in this activity," he said.

He added that other methods being used included resuscitation of old wells, which might still have some oil deposits left in them. (17/mds)