PCD explains proactive plan curbing PM 2.5 air pollution

[webfact]

PCD explains proactive plan curbing PM 2.5 air pollution

 

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - The period of the final and first month of each year has become the usual time for a PM 2.5 airborne dust accumulation, generating much criticism of the government’s response to this disaster. However, the Pollution Control Department has explained the government is on a continuous and proactive approach to address this issue.

 

The Pollution Control Department’s (PCD) Director General Athapol Charoenshunsa, has addressed criticism surrounding the government’s alleged lack of progress on the mitigation of the air pollution disaster, by outlining the PCD’s current efforts to address the issue.

 

Mr Athapol said today the PCD has made an evaluation of previous operations, and reviewed the current action plan to address the dust issue.

 

From these, the PCD has made a 12-point special plan, which involves communication with the general public, the launch of a situation monitoring war room during any crisis, the creation of a volunteer network on burning surveillance and firefighting, transferring forest fire control responsibilities to local administrations, the creation of an early burning registration app, and negotiations with neighboring countries.

 

To better communicate with the public during this year’s haze season, the government’s Center for Air Pollution Mitigation, on 16th November established a communications subcommittee on air pollution mitigation.

 

The new subcommittee will serve as a single team to gather information from related agencies, and convey the correct information to the public, with press conferences scheduled on every Monday and Thursday.

 

Members of the public are encouraged to check real-time air quality indexes online on Air4Thai.pcd.go.th, and bangkokairquality.com websites, or download the Air4Thai and AirBKK applications onto their mobile devices.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2020-11-25

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[johng]

1 minute ago, webfact said:

the creation of an early burning registration app

Thailand 4.0   an app to tell you when you can burn your fields and forests !!!!

stop with the burning  buy the machinery to cut the harvest and  then plough the stubble back into the soil thus reducing the need for expensive fertiliser next year and greatly reducing the pollution...an app  phfff

[YetAnother]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

the Pollution Control Department has explained the government is on a continuous and proactive approach to address this issue

a continuous series of excuses , inaction and no results

[Surelynot]

So nothing that actually attempts to reduce levels....or have I missed something?

Edited November 25, 2020 by Surelynot

[Surelynot]

1. Education to persuade Thais not to burn everything that is combustable.....rubbish, tires, sugarcane....

2. Strictly enforced laws to prevent indiscriminate burning

3. Strict limits on vehicle emissions

4. Strictly enforced laws on emission limits for vehicles

 

......four things that will resolve 90% of the problem.

 

That wasn't so difficult....next problem?

[bodga]

The  plan uses  all the hot air the govt dept's  can muster to  blow it  into the  surrounding filthy countries?

[DualSportBiker]

32 minutes ago, johng said:

Thailand 4.0   an app to tell you when you can burn your fields and forests !!!!

stop with the burning  buy the machinery to cut the harvest and  then plough the stubble back into the soil thus reducing the need for expensive fertiliser next year and greatly reducing the pollution...an app  phfff

Have you talked to a farmer about the 'plough the stubble' part? I have. For rice, it takes too long to decompose. They plant 2, sometimes three crops per year - there is not enough down-time.

 

I am not defending the burning, but your assumption is just that, an ass umption...

[johng]

1 minute ago, DualSportBiker said:

it takes too long to decompose. They plant 2, sometimes three crops per year - there is not enough down-time.

Well then they need to leave some paddies fallow ( maybe grow some fish)  the government can subsidise that. 

[ChrisY1]

Didn't bother to read the plan..just a waste of time 'cos it's doomed to fail!

[bodga]

8 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

Didn't bother to read the plan..just a waste of time 'cos it's doomed to fail!

Theyll be burning all that paperwork soon from their report anyway

[Justgrazing]

Talk talk .. that's all it is .. air pollution is as serious health problem as the road casualty issue that they are equally seemingly unable to do anything about .. vehicle pollution can be tackled particularly in cities but requires investment and enforcement .. they should take a look at how some European cities that do take the issue seriously have responded .. 

[brommers]

As ever, this is simply a load of codswallop and intellectual masturbation. Already the air in my tambon was in the unhealthy zone last evening. Why, because of locals burning garden refuse. And who is going to do anything about this, nobody. Until there is accountability and sanctions against local officials as well as perpetrators there will be no change.

[puck2]

3 hours ago, Surelynot said:

1. Education to persuade Thais not to burn everything that is combustable.....rubbish, tires, sugarcane....

2. Strictly enforced laws to prevent indiscriminate burning

3. Strict limits on vehicle emissions

4. Strictly enforced laws on emission limits for vehicles

 

......four things that will resolve 90% of the problem.

 

That wasn't so difficult....next problem?

#.1.    ... especially on TV, all channels, including private channels.

 

But I doubt, if it will work, it's already in their "gens", it's years too late.

 

My experience here in the North, it's easly said to catch the polluters. But doing so, is more difficult. If you ever have been in the mountain areas of Mae Hong Son, you will understand why I say this. In the plain you may catch the owner of the land, but not in natural parks as in Mae Hong Son i.e.

[Randell]

There is an enzyme that Australian farmers spay on stubble to speed up biodegradation. But the Gov tax and import duties take it totally out of the equation for local farmers to afford. Now if the government subsidized or heaven for bid gave it away it would cut down a a huge amount foe stubble burning and vastly improve the soil quality. I was unable to come up with the trade name that the Australians use maybe some OZZy Farmers could speak up.

Paddy straw decomposer is not a substitute for no-burning ...

www.financialexpress.com › OPINION

 

1.  

Oct 7, 2020 — Pusa Decomposer, as it called after the name of the institute's campus in Delhi, is a mix of seven fungi that produce enzymes to digest cellulose, lignin and pectin in paddy straw.

Wheat Straw - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

www.sciencedirect.com › nursing-and-health-professions

 

 

Figure 34.4 illustrates an open burn of grass straw and stubble following the harvest ... If this cellulose can be broken down by enzymes into sugars that can be ...

 

Effect of straw returning on soil organic carbon in rice–wheat ...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com › doi › full › fes3

 

 

Mar 4, 2020 — However, the straw return method commonly... ... In the early stage of straw decomposition, applying lime can help break down nitrogen‐containing substances in straw ... activity of enzymes related to straw decomposition in soil significantly ... The effect of stubble return on agro‐ecological system and crop ...

 

 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

However, the Pollution Control Department has explained the government is on a continuous and proactive approach to address this issue.

Continuous is the contentious bit... never ending in any solutions.

[Scott Tracy]

Nothing will happen, my Crystal ball is telling me. Burning will take place as usual, black snow will fall, as usual, and PM2.5 will go off the charts, as usual.

[Venom]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Athapol said today the PCD has made an evaluation of previous operations, and reviewed the current action plan to address the dust issue

Dust issue?  Action plan? ????

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

From these, the PCD has made a 12-point special plan, which involves communication with the general public, the launch of a situation monitoring war room

 

Oh boy. ????

 

[mikebell]

Why not have a group of men whose job it is to leave their air conditioned offices when they see a plume of smoke?  They could then speak to the farmer & discourage this health hazard.  To ensure official recognition they could wear uniforms coloured, brown, for instance.  I've even thought of a name for them: police.

When they stopped the fires they might like to turn their attention to the roads.

[puck2]

11 hours ago, mikebell said:

Why not have a group of men whose job it is to leave their air conditioned offices when they see a plume of smoke?  They could then speak to the farmer & discourage this health hazard.  To ensure official recognition they could wear uniforms coloured, brown, for instance.  I've even thought of a name for them: police.

When they stopped the fires they might like to turn their attention to the roads. 

 

Mikebell, good idea in general. But in practice? In the flat areas  of Thailand maybe they can make the owner responsible and punish him. It's also easy for the police to move there to the fields.

 

But in the mountain areas as here in Mae Hong Son they can neither use their cars, nor can they catch "the owner". A job, that would not "produce" any THB for their own pockets. And it's too arduous to catch the culprits .

 

The only way to catch the culprits would be doing this in the time of harvesting. But then again moving there to the poor farmers.

 

BTW, fires are also made in the fortests, although there are no mushrooms, at least in our area. Sometimes I think, they do it to win some land for food production or something else.

Edited November 26, 2020 by puck2