Baseline Air Quality of Azad Jammu and Kashmir

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CHAPTER TWO: BACKGROUND:
Sources of air pollution cover a wide spectrum of sources from natural processes to man-made activities performed by human beings which are major contributors to air pollution. A threat to clean air is posed by the petrol and diesel fired machinery including generators, engines, etc. Similarly, transportation is another source of air pollution. Cooking and wood burring and other indoor activities are sources of indoor air pollution. 2.1 Ambient Air Ambient air is the outdoor air in which humans and other organisms live and breathe. The contents and quality of ambient air is directly affected by the day-to-day activities of humans. Clean air is an important prerequisite for sustainable economic development and is a basic requirement for human health and welfare. Air pollution contributes to acidification and global climate change, which have an impact on crop productivity, forest growth, biodiversity, cultural monuments and many aspects of the national economy. The primary source of air pollution is the combustion of fossil fuels in vehicles, industries, power plants, and the burning of municipal solid waste. However in AJK main sources are human activities in particular vehicular emissions, wood combustions and other domestic activities. The emissions occur from two types of sources i.e. stationary sources; and mobile sources.
The stationary sources include power plants, compressors, generators, leakages/spills of oil and gas from transmission lines and during exploration and production activities of oil and gas. Flue gases from combustion and other gas turbine processes are contaminated with harmful gases and other contaminants, which if exposed to the environment may cause deleterious effects on living beings. Mobile sources include motorized vehicles which results in the emission of a wide variety of pollutants, principally carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (Nox), oxides of Sulphur and Volatile Organic Compounds