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Aji Bhaskar 1
Sachin Aji Bhaskar
Jonathan Lehtonen
ESL 015, Section 019
10 April, 2015
Airpocalypse in India
India’s air quality has been decreasing in recent years and has become a topic of major
concern for the country and its citizens. According to Syed Nazakat (2015) researchers at World
Health Organization (WHO) found that 13 out of the 20 most polluted cities are located in India,
making it the worst country in the world for air quality. It was also found through a recent joint
study from the University of Chicago, Harvard, and Yale, that air pollution and PM2.5, which
stands for particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers, is the cause for the decline in
life expectancy in India (Nazakat, S. 2015). In a collective study by SA Rizwan, Baridalyne
Nongkynrih, and Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, as the use of vehicles increased, there was an increase in
levels of lead content in blood, which is considered “a potential risk factor for abnormal mental
development in children” (2013). Similar to their study, Durgesh Nandan Jha (2014) states that
the Professor of Oncology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. P. K. Julka, warns us
that the pollutants released as a byproduct from vehicles contain chemical carcinogens, such as
benzene, formaldehyde, and polycyclic hydrocarbon, which makes the people more prone to
lung cancer (Jha, D. N. 2014).
In order to solve this problem, according to Jayashree Nandi (2015), The International
Council of Clean Transportation (ICCT) has suggested that India leapfrog to Euro VI standards
in 2020 rather than aiming for Euro V. ICCT has also supported this proposition of Euro VI
being a better alternative as “its air quality and public health benefits far exceed costs and fully
justify the investment in producing ultra-low-content sulfur fuel" and “will have greater
Aji Bhaskar 2
economic benefits in terms of lives protected from pollution-related health impacts” (Nandi, J.
2015). There are various other solutions such as encouraging the use of electric cars by giving
subsidies for those who take this initiative, implementing taxes for diesel vehicles and making
public transport easily and cheaply available for all citizens. However I will focus on the
regulation of Euro VI standards due to its high benefit-cost ratio.
The Euro VI standards are a stringent set of legislations created by the European
Commission to be followed for a significant decrease in the emission of particles that cause a lot
of air pollution such as CO, HC, PM, and NOx, by stating maximum values for what is allowed
to come out of the exhaust. These standards are similar to both petrol and diesel vehicles. The
Euro VI standards bring about a large reduction in pollutants such as 99% reduction in PM and
97% reduction in NOx by choosing from a variety of available technological advancements.
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) is a system by which intake air, which contains 80 percentage
nitrogen is recycled with exhaust gas, in turn reducing the amount of nitrogen available to be
oxidized to NOx during reduced temperature combustion. The second system is the Diesel
Particulate Filter (DPF) or Diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC). The diesel particulate filter reduces
more than 90% of the PM and includes large ultra-fine particle and black carbon reducers.
(“Euro emission standards, Progressively tighter exhaust emissions limits to improve air quality
and health”, 2014)
In addition, these systems are not used more frequently but are a part of this regulation.
Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) can be implemented which uses an additive containing
urea, which is injected into the exhaust for conversion of NOx into pure nitrogen and water.
Another fluid called cerium could also be injected into the fuel tank to aid the DPF by lowering
the temperature needed for regeneration. Lastly, an improvement in Engine’s Onboard
Aji Bhaskar 3
Diagnostic (OSD) system and World Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), to
monitor the engines exhaust treatment and signal any fault to the vehicle operator, are in this
regulation. (“Euro emission standards, Progressively tighter exhaust emissions limits to improve
air quality and health”, 2014)
The International Council of Clean Transportation suggests that greater air quality
benefits can be acquired by leapfrogging from Euro IV to Euro VI rather than trying Euro V
standards too. This skip toward Euro VI fuel has two benefits for air quality, according to ICCT.
Firstly, there could be a reduction of more than 90% PM2.5 emissions due to the use of DPFs, and
there is a realistic reduction in NOx emissions of almost 95% created by the new test cycle and
in-service conformity requirements, tackling the Euro V problem of emission control in urban
areas. Secondly, light-duty Euro VI standards which adopt stringent emission limits, by moving
to the WLTP and Portable emissions measurement system (PEMS) testing, to ensure conformity
to standards in real-life driving conditions, promising a similar reduction in NOx from diesel cars.
(“Accelerating progress from Euro4/IV to Euro6/VI vehicle emission standards”, 2015)
Now let us look into two real-life examples of how emission reduction technologies and
standards enforcement helped aid in improving their air quality. The Mexico Center for
Sustainable Transport (CTS-Mexico), with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), U.S. Agency for International Development and the World Resources Institute,
organized a pilot bus retrofit program, where twenty working buses were retrofitted with either a
diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) or a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and fuel usage changed to
ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. The U.S. EPA has confirmed that there was a reduction of 90% in
PM, 85% in CO, and 90% hydrocarbons by using DPF and a reduction of 20% in PM, 40% in
CO, and 50% in hydrocarbons by using DOC. These two systems i.e. DPF and DOC are an
Aji Bhaskar 4
integral part of the Euro VI standards. (“Cleaning up Urban Bus Fleets With a focus on
developing and transition countries”, 2009)
A similar bus retrofit program was initiated in China from November 2005 to December
2007, where they fitted DOCs and different types of DPFs on buses to see the result on
installation. They concluded that there was a conversion efficiency between 3.5 to 22% for PM
reduction by using an on-board emission measurement system for the DOCs on the Euro I and
Euro II buses. These realistic world-wide examples show that these small experiments which
together could be seen as parts of the Euro VI standards have been tested and been given positive
results for reduction in air pollutants (“Cleaning up Urban Bus Fleets With a focus on developing
and transition countries”, 2009).
One challenge for adopting the Euro VI standards is the cost effectiveness. However this
challenge can be overcome by doing a cost-benefit analysis, which has been done by the ICCT.
The movement toward using eco-friendly fuels and cleaner vehicles will certainly result in high
money investment. According to the ICCT prediction for 2025, the net cost for cleaner vehicles
and fuels would be $14.5 billion for the World Class scenario, which is the implementation of
Euro VI standards by 2017 along with low-sulfur fuel all over India by 2015. However, the
health benefits under the same scenario are estimated to be $43.8 billion, which shows that
benefits are greater than costs. This would be economically preferred for the countries as the net
cost would drop due to economies of scale, while benefits increase exponentially. (Bansal G. and
Bandivadekar A., 2013)
From these statistics it is clear that total benefits and benefit/cost ratio increase with time
due to the advantages of cleaner and eco-friendly fuels in vehicles with the reduction of air
pollution increasing as well. The World Class program may have high initial costs. However,
Aji Bhaskar 5
this experiment conducted by ICCT shows that the anticipated benefits dominate the costs, which
can be the main reason why Euro VI standards should be implemented as soon as possible.
(Bansal G. and Bandivadekar A., 2013)
Numerous measures and programs have been implemented in India to reduce emission by
tightening the standards of fuels and restrictions on automobile emission. These measures have
been used to enhance the removal of pollutants such as PM and NOx for the increase in air
cleanliness, public health and quality of life. While these upgrades and technologies for
following the Euro VI standards such as DPF, DOC, SCR, OSD, and WLTP have inevitably high
costs accompanied with them, benefits such as cutting down on premature mortality, increased
agricultural yields and climate change mitigation, outpower them.
Aji Bhaskar 6
References
Accelerating progress from Euro4/IV to Euro6/VI vehicle emission standards (2015, March) The
International Council On Clean Transportation. Retrieved from
http://www.theicct.org/sites/default/files/publications/ICCT_EuroVI_briefing_20150304.
Bansal G. and Bandivadekar A. (2013) The International Council On Clean Transportation.
OVERVIEW OF INDIA’S VEHICLE EMISSIONS CONTROL PROGRAM, PAST
SUCCESSES AND FUTURE PROSPECTS. Retrieved from
http://www.theicct.org/sites/default/files/publications/ICCT_IndiaRetrospective_2013.pd
f
Chakravartty A. (2015, Mar 11) DowEuro V standard has failed to curb pollutants: experts.
Retrieved from http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/euro-v-standard-has-failed-curb-
pollutants-experts
Cleaning up Urban Bus Fleets With a focus on developing and transition countries (2009,
September) United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved from
http://www.unep.org/transport/pcfv/PDF/Retrofit.pdf
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Euro emission standards, Progressively tighter exhaust emissions limits to improve air quality
and health (2014, Dec 15) The AA. Retrieved from
https://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/fuels-and-environment/euro-emissions-
standards.html
Jha, D. N. (2014, Dec 5). Air pollution affecting even foetal growth. Retrieved from
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/Air-pollution-affecting-
even-foetal-growth/articleshow/45379136.cms
Nandi, J. (2015, Mar 18) 'India must leapfrog to Euro VI as benefits outweigh costs' Retrieved
from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/India-must-
leapfrog-to-Euro-VI-as-benefits-outweigh-costs/articleshow/46602975.cms
Nazakat, S. (2015, Mar 01). Air in Delhi is world's worst, 13 other Indian cities aren't far
behind. The Christian Science Monitor .Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1658942070?accountid=13158
Rizwan, S., Nongkynrih, B., & Gupta, S. K. (2013). Air pollution in Delhi: Its magnitude and
effects on health. Indian Journal of Community Medicine: Official Publication of Indian
Association of Preventive & Social Medicine, 38(1), 4-8.
Walsh, P.M. (2012, July) The International Council For Clean Transportation. Reducing Air
Pollution from Buses and Commercial Vehicles. Retrieved from
http://www.theicct.org/sites/default/files/Walsh_Bangalore_july2012.pdf
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