MUMBAI: It is almost over four years now to the central environment ministry’s (MoEF) notification asking the petroleum companies to bring down the sulphur content in kerosene, from 2.5% (2500 parts per million) to 0.10%(100 parts per million), a reduction of as big as 96%.
However, only a miniscule quota of kerosene alloted to the army has been converted to the expected sulphur standards, say activists. Almost up to 15% of the sulphur and carbon monoxide load in Mumbai’s air is due to domestic burning, mainly the kerosene used in slums and surrounding rural areas, forcing Mumbaikars to breathe the poisonous gas.
Sulfur dioxide emitted after kerosene use irritates the skin and mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. High concentrations of SO2 can cause inflammation and irritation of the respiratory system, especially during heavy physical activity.
In addition to sulphur dioxide, kerosene heaters can emit such pollutants as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. Breathing these substances can create a risk, especially to such people as pregnant women, asthmatics, individuals with cardiovascular disease, elderly persons and young children.
Meanwhile, a senior official with the oil companies in the state clarified that the state was already heading fast towards a kerosene-free state status. “Against 95000 kiloliters supply in Maharashtra in 2018, now it stands at just 3000 kiloliters. In Mumbai the monthly consumption is not even 12000 liters. Slowly, the kerosene era will end as piped gas and LPGs have already replaced chulhas across slums and rural areas in and around the region,” he said.
Another senior official from the petroleum minister in Delhi said even though the kerosene was being phased out due to enhanced reach of gas cylinders, oil companies have already started implementing on reducing sulphur content as per BIS standards set upon the MoEF directives.
“It is only this January for the first time BPCL effected the change but only for the small kerosene quota allotted to the army. A large portion of the 5-6 million tonnes of kerosene produced for the people at large in the country still remains a threat for the human lungs especially in slums and rural areas in and around the metropolitan and second-rung urban centres,” said Dileep Nevatia, a worli-based environment activist who has the credit of taking up the case with the national green tribunal and then with the ministry and BIS to ensure that oil companies substantially remove the poisonous sulphur.
Mumbai is one of 18 non-attainment cities in Maharashtra which are on the watch list. A non-attainment city is one that does not fulfil the Union Environment Ministry‘s stipulated air quality requirements. Transportation, which accounts for 30.5 % of Mumbai’s air pollution (making it the most dominant source of pollution), industries and power (18%), domestic combustion (15%), and windblown pollutants (15%), which includes the significant impact of construction dust, are among the contributing causes.
However, only a miniscule quota of kerosene alloted to the army has been converted to the expected sulphur standards, say activists. Almost up to 15% of the sulphur and carbon monoxide load in Mumbai’s air is due to domestic burning, mainly the kerosene used in slums and surrounding rural areas, forcing Mumbaikars to breathe the poisonous gas.
Sulfur dioxide emitted after kerosene use irritates the skin and mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. High concentrations of SO2 can cause inflammation and irritation of the respiratory system, especially during heavy physical activity.
In addition to sulphur dioxide, kerosene heaters can emit such pollutants as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. Breathing these substances can create a risk, especially to such people as pregnant women, asthmatics, individuals with cardiovascular disease, elderly persons and young children.
Meanwhile, a senior official with the oil companies in the state clarified that the state was already heading fast towards a kerosene-free state status. “Against 95000 kiloliters supply in Maharashtra in 2018, now it stands at just 3000 kiloliters. In Mumbai the monthly consumption is not even 12000 liters. Slowly, the kerosene era will end as piped gas and LPGs have already replaced chulhas across slums and rural areas in and around the region,” he said.
Another senior official from the petroleum minister in Delhi said even though the kerosene was being phased out due to enhanced reach of gas cylinders, oil companies have already started implementing on reducing sulphur content as per BIS standards set upon the MoEF directives.
“It is only this January for the first time BPCL effected the change but only for the small kerosene quota allotted to the army. A large portion of the 5-6 million tonnes of kerosene produced for the people at large in the country still remains a threat for the human lungs especially in slums and rural areas in and around the metropolitan and second-rung urban centres,” said Dileep Nevatia, a worli-based environment activist who has the credit of taking up the case with the national green tribunal and then with the ministry and BIS to ensure that oil companies substantially remove the poisonous sulphur.
Mumbai is one of 18 non-attainment cities in Maharashtra which are on the watch list. A non-attainment city is one that does not fulfil the Union Environment Ministry‘s stipulated air quality requirements. Transportation, which accounts for 30.5 % of Mumbai’s air pollution (making it the most dominant source of pollution), industries and power (18%), domestic combustion (15%), and windblown pollutants (15%), which includes the significant impact of construction dust, are among the contributing causes.
