AIR POLLUTION ISSUE IN MALAYSIA: IMPACTS ON ATMOSPHERE, HEALTH AND ECONOMY

REPORTED BY: NUR MAIZATUL IDAYU BINTI OTHMAN GS27041

LECTURER: DR SABRINA HO BINTI ABDULLAH

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRINCIPLE MASTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

What is global environmental change or well known as GEC is all about? Global environmental change is the term that is used to encompass a variety of ongoing environmental transformations which consist of the most recent and can be the most threatening to our mother earth (Rosa & Dietz, 2002). There are three interrelated transformations of the biosphere, climate change, loss of biodiversity and the last one is the depletion of stratospheric zone. All of the three changes to the mother earth are believed to be generated or vastly accelerated by human. These transformations made by GEC may have substantial effect or impact to socio-cultural system and those impacts is difficult to expect than the biophysical effects.

According to Rosa and Dietz (2002), the first change in GEC can be named as climate change. Climate change has been profound to give impacts to humans. Whole human capacities depends on moderate influences of gases that surround the earth, warm its surface and protect the earth from radiation which give destructive to life. Recently, there is growing consensus that human activities are seriously contributing into this issue. Humans may be altering the atmosphere in the ways by bringing rapid development through industries and cause extensive change in global climate. The most credible forecasts suggest an increase in average global temperature and might cause into transformation of precipitation and soil moisture regimes, the rising of sea-level, and increase of weather variability. The second change will be biodiversity loss. Biodiversity loss can be determined as the full range of variability including the genetic variability within a species and the number of species. The change in forms of human sustenance from food foraging to horticulture depending on favoring genotypes that produce flora and fauna with desirable characteristics for domestic purpose. The third change is ozone depletion which can be described as the increase depletion of ozone and the attendant in exposure to ultraviolet type B radiation (UVB) at the earths surface.

There are two criteria that consist in Global Environmental Change which are globally systemic and local in character. Globally systemic usually processes by their very nature operate at global level. The examples of the first criterion are climate change and ozone depletion. The second criteria are changes or transformations that are more into local but also accumulate into global patterns. The examples of the second criteria are biodiversity loss, the destruction of moist forests and the dispersion of persistent toxics widely (Rosa & Dietz, 2002).

We have discussed globally on the global environmental change issue. However, global environmental change gives serious impact and implication towards developing country (Redclift & Sage, 1998). Our country, Malaysia is still considered as developing country which also involve in this issue. According to Jomo (1990), Malaysia, a middleincome country, transformed from 1971 through the late 1990s from one of raw materials producer into an emerging multi-sector economy. Following the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 5.2 percent in the third quarter of 2003, the economy expanded at a quick pace of 6.4 percent, the highest since fourth quarter 2000. Therefore, growth for the whole of 2003 was 5.2 percent. The manufacturing sector raised significantly by 8.2 percent in 2003, enthused by higher production in exported- oriented industries such as electrical and electronics and also rubber goods or products. This was further supported by stronger increase in domestic-oriented industries, especially chemicals, constructionrelated industries and food and beverages.

The global agenda of climate change, biodiversity loss and deforestation is intimately linked to the everyday livelihood concerns of people in developing countries like us. Global environmental change also happened at Malaysia which included climate change. The effect of climate change in Malaysia is not critical compare to other vulnerable countries such as Tuvalu but has been affected in a number of ways by global warming and temperature rising. There is also the rising temperature which resulted in coral bleaching, and loss of flora species in Malaysia virgin jungle.

Obviously, local and regional atmospheric pollution equally from industry and from land-clearing activities is an important regional environmental problem and emerging issue. A study recognizes that land utilization changes to urban and industrial uses, including those to support transport and communication infrastructure, are much more important than the relatively small areas extent of these land uses may suggest (Heilig, 1995).

There are few major pollution that occurs in Malaysia and one of them is air pollution. Air pollution remains a serious problem in cities troughout the world particularly in developing countries (Junaidah et al., 2010). Since 1980, six major haze episodes were officially reported in Malaysia that is in April 1983, August 1990, June 1991, October 1991, August to October 1994 and July to October 1997. The 1997 haze episode was the worst ever experience in the country (Lim et al., 2008). Interpretation of the long-term trends of atmospheric pollution that occur in industrial and urban areas clearly indicated that local and trans-boundary emissions played very significant roles in determining the position of the atmospheric environment in Malaysia. During the nonhaze episode which is normal condition, vehicular emissions accounted for more than seventy percent of the overall emissions in the urban areas, exhibiting two different daily peaks in the diurnal variations. The morning 'rush-hour' peak is mostly because of vehicular emissions, while the 'late evening peak' is mostly attributed to meteorological conditions which including atmospheric stability, wind speed and others (Awang, M. 2000). The preference of air quality parameters that describe the status of air quality in Malaysia is governed by the established Malaysia Ambient Air Quality Guidelines (MAQG) of 1989 issued by the Department of Environment. The environment of Malaysia air quality is recently fair. This is because Malaysian Government gazzette of the Clean Air Regulations in 1987. The air quality monitoring work was first carried by the Division of Environment in the year of 1977.

Air quality in Malaysia is a main concern as the vision of Malaysia for the year 2020. The Malaysia Air Pollution Index (API) is obtained from the measurement of fine particles (PM10) and several toxic gases such as SO2, CO2 and O3. The quality of the air in Malaysia is determined accordingly to the API which indicates the level of pollutant spread in the atmosphere. The API system of Malaysia actually follows the Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) system of the United States Of America (Amnorzahra, 2007).

Table 1. The API values with respect to the air quality status and level of pollution and health measurement in Malaysia.
API 0-50 51-100 101-200 201-300 Status Good Moderate Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Level Of Pollution Pollution Low and Has no ill on effects Pollution moderate and has no ill effects on health Mild aggravation of symptoms among high risk person Significant aggravation of symptoms and decreased exercise tolerance in person with heart or 301-500 Hazardous lung disease Severe aggravation of symptoms and endangers health

Air pollution in Malaysia has not reached a critical level as in other metropolitan areas in Asia like Manila, Philippine or Jakarta, Indonesia (Malaysia-German Technical Cooperation, 2000; as cited by Amnorzahira, 2007). However, even outside haze periods, pollution level increased despite tight regulations and this is because of increasing number of vehicle, distance travel and growth in industrial production (Table 2). Table 2. Malaysia Air Emission Load and Pollutant Sources of 2004 (Department Of Environment, 2004)

Overall Pollutant CO SO2 PM NOX emission load (Tonnes) 1280164 169769 29960 305401

Traffic (%) 98 7 31 59

Industry (%) 1 23 23 31

Power Plant (%) 1 57 45 7

Others (%) 13 1 3

In Malaysia, the status of air quality in Peninsular Malaysia according to land use and level of compliance based on studies conducted by the Department of Environment from 1981 to 1983 demonstrated that serious problem existed only in highly urbanized areas, particularly with respect to the dust fall-out, suspended particulate matter and lead in the air along congested roadsides. Those problems were largely attributed to the emissions from motor vehicles. Not a single area like Kuala Lumpur and Pudu Raya which was monitored was free from dust pollution at all times (Bakar et al., 1999).

There is also lead which present in the air at high level especially in the central business district of Kuala Lumpur. Fine and coarse atmospheric particle concentrations in Kuala Lumpur between 1988 and 1990, it showed that highest monthly mean concentration was observed between January and March with second peak occured in July-August (Rashid et al., 1997). However, the level tends to decrease in June and December. Azman et al also studied on a typical photochemical pollution situation. The peak was first reached by NO followed by NO2 and finally by 03 for the next several hours. Usually, after office traffic, the burden of NO become increase in the atmosphere which scavenged the remaining traces of O3 by early evening and followed by the NO and other primary pollutants accumulated for the remainder of the night. This phenomenon also might suggest that the photochemical smog formation also able to occur in Kuala Lumpur. The optimum conditions needed for smog formation usually

lacking due to high level of humidity and the unlikelihood of the pollutants to be trapped at times of maximum radiation by a subsidence inversion.

In separate study, Ayers et al. keep focusing on the event occurred in the Southeast Asia in September 1994. The study proved that the general chemical nature of the haze aerosol at Petaling Jaya was that the PM10 component consisted of roughly onequater organic components, one-quater elemental carbon and one half organic material. Acid ammonium sulfate is the main component in the inorganic fraction. In addition, the common PM10 level at Petaling Jaya at around 50-60 g/m3 , were primarily because of anthropogenic emissions. It also became argument since if the forest fires were the primary factor of the threefold increase in PM10 loading during the extremes of the haze event, however the aerosol composition data during that period would be dominated by the burning of biomass which consist of trace components. The trace component included elemental carbon, aerosol pottasium and gaseous NO2. The time series of aerosol components indicated relationship with the PM10 series during the haze event, suggesting the existence of a specific smoke component. In addition, the time series of the trace component not related to biomass burning, such as sulfate and lead showed significant correlations with PM10. From the study, it would be suggested that there were a number of a different source-receptors, including biomass burning which modulated by local and regional meteorology. The model predictions developed by Ayer gave conclusion that smoke from fires at the two location was predicted to reach Petaling Jaya at that event period although the temporal pattern of the modeled smoke transport to Petaling Jaya was not identical with the PM10 record. So, it can be concluded that the two fires modeled may have played a part in the extreme haze peak but did not play a major part in extreme PM10 peak in Petaling Jaya.

Figure 1. Picture of hazardous smoke that was covered Malaysia during 2005.

According to Aminorzahra (2007), in Selangor, the sources of pollution especially air pollution are closely related to these urban functions. Motor vehicles exhausts are high through the year, largely because major highways. Selangor also a high developing city compared to the other cities in Malaysia .As for air quality index, The Department Of Environment (DOE) stated that Selangor which consist of Klang Valley , Kajang and Shah Alam showed various reading for air quality index. In 2008, the air quality in the Klang Valley was good 33% most of the time, moderate 63% and the remaining 4 % an unhealthy level. According to Aminorzahra (2007), The pollutants concentrations is distributed differently according to wind direction. Wind direction of Petaling Jaya experienced the concentration of pollutant that is high, especially PM10. This indicates that PM10 originate fully from the common source which is vehicle exhaust.

Figure 2. Number of unhealthy days of air quality in Selangor from 20002008 (Source: Department Of Environment Malaysia).

A study conducted by Junaidah et al. (2010) on relationship between air pollutants and frequency of asthmatic attacks towards school children. Continuous ambient air pollutants data was obtained from the Department of Environment. The prevalence of asthma was superior in urban and industrial children. In 2008, the yearly mean PM 10 in

the industrial areas (64.9g/m3) was a little higher than the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guideline. SO2 was considerably higher in the industrial spot, while CO and NO2 were higher in the urban area (Table 3). From this, study, it can be concluded that, more children were at greater risk of getting more frequent asthmatic attack due to high level of air pollutants. In the urban area, source of PM10 exposure was from road traffic and also from the demolition site. The PM10 may be generated by the handling, loading and unloading dusty material in urban or industrial areas like Klang. Construction work on the improvement of roads and highway present in urban area. This situation will increase the numbers of children who will get asthmatic attack. Table 3. Comparison of annual ambient air pollutions within areas.

Apart from air pollution emissions from road traffic, energy demand, industry and power generation, deterioration in air quality in developing countries like Malaysia also results from a number of other activities as well as forest conversion and agricultural activities, refuse disposal and household heating and cooking. The wide use of fire to clear previously logged forests has received international attention as a source of air pollution, and suspended particulate matter concentrations. Forest fires have turn out to be main reason of air pollution problem in Malaysia (Glover and Jessup, 1999 as cited by Emberson, 1999). According to Sastry (2000), a widespread series of forest fires in Indonesia cause a blanket of thick, smoky haze over a large portion of Southeast Asia

including Malaysia. The smoke persisted for several months. The fires destroyed a large amount of rainforest, contributed to a significant release of greenhouse gases and at the end of the day; it resulted in the loss of habitat for threatened or endangered species of flora and fauna. Biomass burning further contributes to increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide which is one of greenhouse gases by destroying forests that would otherwise help to eleminate these gases in nature ways. They also lead to adverse economy impacts through the destruction of marketable timber, plantations and farmland, a decrease income in tourism, the brief shutdown of commerce, industry and travel and the last one is rising in health care costs (table 4) (Shahwahid & Othman, 1999). Table 4. Average value of damage during the haze period 1997
Type of Damage Adjusted cost of illness Productivity loss during the state of emergency Decline in tourist arrivals flight cancellations Decline in fish landings Cost of fire-fighting Cloud seeding Expenditure on masks Total damage cost RM Million 21.02 393.51 318.55 0.45 40.58 25 2.08 0.71 801.9 US$ Million 8.41 157.4 127.42 0.18 16.23 10 0.83 0.28 321 Percentage 2.62 49.07 39.72 0.06 5 3.12 0.26 0.09 100

In a nutshell, the quality of the ambient air in Malaysia and its possible impact not only on agricultural crops and forest species but also on human health based on the continuous air quality data collected from various agencies including local universities, research institutions, MMS, the DOE and ASMA. Equally serious were the emissions of S02 due to high-sulphur fuel rely for industrial production and electric-power generation, as found in Prai, Pasir Gudang, Johor Bahru, and the Klang Valley. Apart from generated

through biomass burning inside the country or veyond national boundaries, a large amount of the dust and fine particulates were contributed by the ineffectiveness of dieselpowered vehicles, on and off the road. The estimated nature and level of response, spatially and temporally, from variety sectors can be easily guided by the on-line availability of air quality data against the MAQG established by the DOE. Vigorous Research & Development efforts should be done towards establishing long-term effects of air pollution in spite of its definite reversible acute impact and effect on human health and also on the long term impacts that might occur to rainforest ecosystem in the county (Tang et al., 1996 as cited by Awang et al, 2000), particularly on light demanding species like fireflies (Tang et al., 1999 as cited by Awang et al, 2000).

The significance of research on air pollution in a fast-developing country like Malaysia cannot be underestimated. The future and well being of the nation rely on the decision made, regulation of laws and policies and the education that have been thought today. Therefore, research strategies on air pollution towards all aspects in ecosystem of the region must be clearly formulated and a concerted effort must be mobilized to organized and execute the plans (Awang et al, 2000).

References: Aminorzahira, A. 2007. Air Pollution Trends in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Master Thesis. Universiti Putra Malaysia Awang, M.B., Jaafar, A.B., Abdullah, A.B., Ismail, M.B., Hassan, M.B., Abdullah, R., Johan, S., Noor, H. 2000. Air Quality in Malaysia: Impacts, Management Issue and Future Challenges. H.Respirology. 5:183-196 Ayers G., Gillet R.W., Selleck, P.W 1997. Acid Deposition and Haze In Malaysia and Indonesia: Causes, Relationships and Consequences. Conference on Transboundary Pollution and Sustainability of Tropical Forests. Fire Management:Kuala Lumpur. Jomo, K, S. 1990. Malaysia; Economic conditions; Economic policy. St. Martin's Press : New York Junaidah, Z. Sann, M., Jamal, H.H., Zailina, H. 2010. Allergy to Air Pollution and Frequency of Asthmatic Attacks among Asthmatic Primary School Children. Amerincan-Eurasian Journal of Toxicological Sciences. 2(2):83-92 Shahwahid, M., H,.O., Othman, J. 1999. Cost of Transboundary Haze Externelities. Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia. 33 Tang, Y., Kachi, N., Furukawa, A., Awang, M.B. 1996. Light Reduction by Regional Haze and Its Effect On Simulated Leaf Photosynthesis In A Tropical Forest of Malaysia. Forest Ecol. Management. 89: 201-211