ITB Professor Explains Solutions To Overcome Air Pollution In Jakarta

Illustration of air pollution in Jakarta (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Professor of Environmental Engineering at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Puji Lestari explained a number of solutions to overcome air pollution in Jakarta.

"There are several solutions that can be done to reduce emissions in the transportation sector which is the main contributor to pollution in Jakarta. We have researched and checked the effects of reducing emissions," said Puji Lestari, quoted from Antara, Sunday.

Puji explained that the first solution was the implementation of EURO4 for passenger vehicles, buses, trucks and motorbikes.

According to him, there are quite a lot of heavy vehicles, high mobility, and waste of fuel so that the amount of dust produced is also large, as well as many motorcycles contributing to CO-type pollutants, for that the emissions must really be controlled.

If EURO4 has been implemented properly, he added, it is certain that the emissions generated by public and private vehicles will decrease.

"EURO4 is related to the vehicle technology and the fuel used. So it must be supported. Not the EURO4 engine, but the fuel is normal," he said.

Second, he continued, emission reduction can be done by implementing a stimulus for electric vehicle ownership (EV) to replace oil-fueled vehicles. Furthermore, it is necessary to prepare supporting infrastructure such as SPKLU and so on.

Puji suggested that an in-depth study be carried out so that later the wider community could use EVs to reduce air pollution. Thus, the sale of EVs and the construction of SPKLU facilities can be right on target.

The third solution, he explained, is the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel for all bus and truck vehicles.

Fourth, he added, the government can implement a scripting system solution, namely destroying vehicles that exceed the set age limit.

"A number of these solutions can also be combined with transportation management measures, such as road pricing electronic and ticketing if there is a violation of standard emissions," he said.

The series of solutions, continued Puji, are the results of the improvement of previous research which proves that the transportation sector is still the main contributor to pollutants in Jakarta.

"There needs to be a policy implementation so that it can effectively and simultaneously reduce pollution levels in Jakarta," he said.