GEO Brasil - UNEP

Total Particles in Suspension:
daily (240?g/m 3 ) and annual
(80?g/m 3 ) standards of air quality
were exceeded;
Inhaled particles: daily
standards of air quality (150?g/
m 3 ) and annual (50?g/m 3 ) were
exceeded;
Smoke: daily standard of air
quality (150?g/m 3 ) was exceeded;
Carbon monoxide: standard of
air quality for 8 hours (9 ppm) was
exceeded;
Ozone: hour standard of air
quality (160?g/m 3 ) was exceeded;
Nitrogen dioxide: hour standard
of air quality (320?g/m 3 ) was
exceeded.
Examples of successful programmes,
however, demonstrate that it is
possible to solve many problems
associated to local effects of
atmospheric pollution. The successes
obtained in the city of Cubatão and
efforts in the state of São Paulo and
Rio de Janeiro, as demonstrated in the
following table, lead to the conclusion
that solutions must be sought
urgently.
Box 7 - The cases of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo
In São Paulo, CETESB prioritises
the great pollution sources,
identified by the Sources Directory.
The operational aspects of such
control are carried out by: (i) the
environmental agencies’ periodical
This programme restricts use of
some vehicles on certain days of the
week according to their plate
numbers. Rather than simply
prohibiting vehicles from operate
on a given day, it also included a
control actions, during which they number of environmental
can verify whether CETESB’s
requirements have been met, as
well as assess the implantation and
effectiveness of environmental
pollution control systems; and (ii)
awareness activities aimed at
elementary and secondary school
students, as well as the participation
of different segments of society in
the search for solutions.
the pollution sources’ selfmonitoring
schemes. As far as
assessing the quality of the air,
According to the Ministry of the
Environment (2002), the main
CETESB has an automated
results obtained from the Vehicular
monitoring network, with a daily
Restriction Programme are:
bulletin also available on the
Acceptable pollution levels in
Internet, as well as a manual
most of the days the
network. In order to control
programme was on;
pollution caused by moving
Reduced traffic jams and
sources, CETESB has several
increased average speed in the
programmes such as the Diesel
city;
Vehicles Heat Density Control
A 17% reduction in the number
Programme, the Vehicle Inspection
of accidents without victims in
Programme and a Vehicular
the city;
Restriction Programme.
A 28% reduction in the number
of broken-down vehicles;
Since 1976, the black smoke emitted
Saving 40 million litres of fuel;
by diesel vehicles has been
and
controlled on the streets under
Average reduction of 30
CETESB’s supervision. This
minutes in ordinary routes.
programme includes training and
guiding actions, as well as applying
fines to those drivers whose vehicle
emissions exceed the maximum
legal levels.
Still in São Paulo, the so-called
Winter Operation includes a
number of preventive actions such
as the use of low-sulphur fuels and
The Vehicular Restriction
the interruption or substitution of
certain production processes with
Programme was first put into
practice in 1996, enabling a
significant reduction in the emission
of polluting gases in São Paulo’s
metropolitan area, where an
estimated 90% of all air polluting
agents come from automotive
the objective of reducing air
pollution. The Winter Operation is
put into practice between May and
September, a period when the
weather conditions are most
unfavourable to disperse the
polluting agents, and it includes
vehicles (Ministry of the actions aimed at both moving and
Environment, 2002).
fixed sources.
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