Transport Air Pollution in Sao Paulo, Brazil: Advances in Control Programs in the Last 15 Years

Sao Paulo is one of the largest cities in the world, with 10 million inhabitants in the municipality and 17 million in the metropolitan area. Population growth rate has decreased in the last decades and economic activities are being decentralized to its surrounding areas. Nevertheless the number of vehicles registered in the city has been growing at a much higher rate (4% per year) than population and road network. Total vehicle fleet is 5,497,633. Besides causing increasing problems of traffic safety and flow, transport is responsible for most of the air pollution emissions in the area nowadays. This chapter describes the main programs implemented in the last years in order to improve traffic and public transport problems, by local government, and to solve air pollution problems, by state government. City programs concentrated mainly in increasing mobility and improving the quality of the buses and vans used in the public transportation system, in order to prevent growth in the use of private cars for daily activities. State action concentrated in air pollution control programs: setting emissions standards, air quality standards and control measures. Investment is also being done in construction of a ring road around the metropolitan area (Rodoanel) and in expansion of the subway lines network. Air emission trends are discussed in view of recent pollution data and air quality trends are analyzed for different pollutants. Finally, prospects for the future are discussed in view of the conclusion that control measures, technology, cooperation, negotiation and education achieved positive results and are important tools to minimize health hazards and promote good quality of life. Nonetheless, a lot remains to be done in order to attain stricter standards like the European regulations.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/185312799X
• Corporate Authors:

  WIT Press

  Computational Mechanics, 25 Bridge Street
  Billerica, MA  United States  01821
• Authors:
  • Ribeiro, H
  • de Assuncao, J D
• Publication Date: 2006

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 107-125
• Monograph Title: Advances in City Transport: Case Studies

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Air quality management; Carbon monoxide; Emission control systems; Exhaust gases; Ozone; Poisons; Subways
• Uncontrolled Terms: Air toxics
• Geographic Terms: Sao Paulo (Brazil)
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01024619
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 185312799X
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 25 2006 7:31AM