GEO Haiti 2010

State of the Environment Report 2010
7.1.2 Industrial Activities
Industrial activities also contribute to the pollution
of the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide CO 2
seems to
be the primary air pollutant emitted by industrial
activities. Therefore, based on data from 1998 to
2003 53 , industries represent 19% of CO 2
emissions
in the country while the areas of transport,
electricity and housing account for 51%, 13%
and 17%, respectively. In 1994, (MDE, 2000), the
country contributed 9,448.34 Gg to air pollution
from sulfur dioxide SO 2
. Overall, Haiti emits lower
levels of CO 2
than the Dominican Republic (4,000
Gg as against 15,000 Gg) (Figure 67).
121
Figure 67: Greenhouse gases emitted in Haïti and Dominican Republic in 1994
Types of Greenhouse Gas
Emissions in Haiti (1994)
GES
Gg
CO2 1111.21
CH 4 126.24
N 2O
7.41
NOX 7.74
CO 349.04
COVNM 48.02
CO 2 (Biomass) 3480.72
SO2 (Ton) 9448.34
Gigagramme
16 000
14 000
12 000
10 000
8 000
6 000
4 000
2 000
0
Haiti
Dominican Republic
CO 2
CH 4
N 2 O
NO x
CO
COVNM
Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Haiti (1994)
Source: MDE, 2000
Many small and medium-size industries, notably
traditional distilleries, bakeries, oil mills and
laundries, mainly use firewood as energy source.
According to Saint-Jean (1999), at the end of the
last century, distilleries burned 240,000 tons of
wood annually, bakeries 120,000 tons, oil mills
50,000 tons, and laundries, 20,000 tons.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that carbon
dioxide emissions from industrial activities result,
to a large extent, from the combustion of wood.
7.1.3 Agricultural Pollution
Agricultural activities also seem to be responsible
for air pollution in Haiti. Even if the use of
pesticides and fertilizers is not widespread, it
is feared that during their application, some of
these accumulate in the atmosphere. On the
other hand, the widespread practice in Haiti of
slash-and-burn cultivation, which consists in
burning the plant biomass at soil level in order
to improve it, contributes to air pollution by
the release of CO 2
into the atmosphere.
7.1.4 Patterns of Household
Energy Habits
Households also use wood or charcoal as energy
sources. Wood is limited mainly to rural and
marginal urban areas, unlike charcoal, which is
widely used in urban areas. However, wealthier
households may combine charcoal with propane
gas.
For example, in 1994, according to the BME (2001),
domestic activities resulted in emissions of about
29 Gg of the gas in the atmosphere. Also, over
the same period, emissions of 10 Gg of methane,
18 Gg of methane volatile organic compounds
(NMVOC) and 196 Gg of carbon monoxide were
also caused by domestic activities. Compared to
53
Haiti energy figures: http://www.bme.gouv.ht