BLISTT Airshed Taskforce conducts roadside emission testing

The Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) Airshed Task Force in partnership with the Department of Transportation Cordillera Administrative Region (DOTr-CAR) conducted the first roadside inspection and apprehension along Km. 6 La Trinidad, Benguet recently. Contributed Photo

The task force was composed of personnel from the Wastewater, Water and Ambient Air Management Division of the City Environment and Parks Management Office of the City Government of Baguio, municipalities of La Trinidad, Tuba and Sablan, Environmental Management Bureau Cordillera Administrative Region and DOTr-CAR.

The task force used the smoke analyzer to measure the motor vehicles’ opacity. Opacity refers to the amount of light obscured by the particle pollutants from the vehicle’s exhaust. The darker the smoke, the higher the k value.

Twenty-four diesel fueled vehicles were flagged, 14 passed the emission standards while 10 failed. Those who failed were issued Temporary Operator’s Permit in violation of Section 46 of Republic Act 8749 otherwise known as the Philippine Clean Air Act.

The tests conducted were based on Department of Environment and Natural Resources DAO 2007-27 entitled Revised Emission Standards for Motor Vehicles Equipped with Compression-Ignition and Spark Ignition Engines.

The conduct of roadside inspection and apprehension is part of the BLISTT Airshed Action Plan 2021. – Wilbur S. Suanding