According to the EPA, emissions of 189 air toxics must be reduced by the turn of the century.(1) These emissions regulated under the Clean Air Act include emissions from area, stationary and mobile sources. There are currently air quality standards for six primary pollutants: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone and particulate matter with aerodynamic size less than or equal to 10 microns. The effects, sources, and standards governing these pollutants can be seen in table 17. From the periods of 1970 - 90, carbon monoxide has decreased 41%, particulate matter decreased 59%, lead decreased 97%, volatile organic compounds that are precursor's to ozone decreased 31% and nitrogen oxides increased 6%. (2) Areas of non attainment can be seen in Figure 17.
Ozone depletion, which is known to increase the biologically damaging ultraviolet radiation, continues to fall. Chloroflourocarbons, a primary ozone depletor, fell for the sixth year in 1994, bringing total production down by 77 percent since 1988. This prevents a variety of human health and ecological effects, including non-melanoma skin cancer and decreased productivity of food crops.(3)
Greenhouse gases, that retain the sun's energy, include carbon dioxide,
methane, chloroflourocarbons(CFCs), and nitrous oxide. Carbon dioxide,
the primary greenhouse gas, rose by 5.925 billion tons in 1994. In addition,
deforestation added an additional 1.1 - 3.6 billion tons to the atmosphere.(4)
The Convention on Climate change required industrial nations to formulate
policies to manage such emissions by the end of the decade.
Penn is reporting for the first time in 1996 its stationary sources under Title V of the Clean Air Act. Penn has 51 combustion units, 14 stacks, and 1 incinerator. The combustion units are natural gas and diesel emergency generators for campus buildings, the stacks are ventalation pipes for combustion units, while the incinerator is a permitted crematorium. In addition there are an unknown amount of laboratory fume hoods on campus. The most common pollutants are carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides. Whereas the emissions levels are basically negligible and Penn has no sources that will qualify for under the act as a Òmajor facility,Ó(5) Penn is not expected to be required to file in the future under the act.
Penn's primary sources of indirect air pollution are due to energy usage and transportation to campus. Sections 4 and 5 of the first semester Green University Report document respective emissions from these sources. The total effect on air quality is 1041.3 tons of NOx and 275,526.15 tons of CO2.
In order to reduce ozone depleting compounds, Penn installed a new chiller plant, the MOD-6(see, p. 27 ). The pumping system utilizes a non ozone depleting chemical. Ozone depleting chemicals though are still used in small quantities in laboratories. It is unknown how many freons, halons, and other ozone depleting substances are on campus. The has never been an inventory of ozone depleting chemicals on campus. They are typically in fire protection equipment, air conditioners, and chillers.
The project also led to an overall effort to reduce ozone depleting compounds including chloroflourocarbons in refrigeration systems, carbon tetrachloride in laboratories, halons in fire extinguishers, and chemical sprays used to preserve maps and museum documents. The University investigated alternatives and minimization strategies.(6)
1. Freon and other ozone depleting substances from refrigerators, air conditioners and chillers can be reduced by replacing the equipment and evaluations of alternatives when looking to install new equipment. Alternative chiller and refrigeration information and products are available at http://home.navisoft.com/navyozone/altref.htm as part of the U.S. Navy CFC & Halon Clearinghouse.
EPA also provides information on substitutes for refrigeration and air conditioning systems, fire suppression and explosion protection equipment, foam blowers and solvents via their Significant New Alternatives Program. The initiative which aims to identify alternatives to ozone depleting substances is available at http://www.epa.gov/docs/ozone/title6/snap/
2. In addition to order to minimize potential effects of ozone depleting chemicals, it is important to:
3. Halons are bromide containing compounds that are 3 to 16 times more destructive than CFCs. Halons are used in fire protection equipment. Portable extinguishers are typically recharged every 5 - 7 years. At that time non halon systems that use dry chemical agents, foams, or inert gases should be used as alternatives.4. Environ$en$e, a pollution prevention resources center, provides information
on a wide variety of pollution prevention programs and will allow Penn
to benefit from the experience and progress of others. Information is available
at: http://es.inel.gov/.
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1US EPA, Guide to Environmental Issues, Document 520/B-94-001, April 1995, p. 9. 2 US EPA, Air Quality Atlas, Document 400-K-92-003, May 1992, p. 2. 3 Lester Brown, State of World, Norton Press, NY, 1992, p. 62 4 Lester Brown, State of World, Norton Press, NY, 1992, p. 62 5 A major facility includes those who emit either (1) 10 tons per year of a specific hazardous pollutant or 25 tons per year of a combination of hazardous air pollutants, (2) 100 tons per year of any other contaminant, or (3) 25 tons per year of VOCs and NOx. Source: Air Management Services, Philadelphia Health Department. 6April Smith, Campus ecology, Living Planet Press, Venice, California, 1990, p. 32. 7EPA, What you can do to stop air pollution, p. 2. 8EPA, What you can do to stop air pollution, p. 2.