Air Pollution

Air pollution in Malaysia falls into three main categories: air pollution due to exhaust gas from mobile emission sources such as motor vehicles, principally in urban areas; haze caused by the weather and by forest fires in neighboring Indonesia; and pollution caused by industrial activities. Of these three problems, air pollution from mobile emission sources is of greatest concern. In 1997, there were roughly 8.5 million registered motor vehicles in Malaysia, climbing at the rate of 10 percent or more every year. According to 1997 figures, the estimated quantities of air pollutants released by these vehicles were 1.9 million tons of carbon monoxide (CO), 224,000 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 101,000 tons of hydrocarbons (HC), 36,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and 16,000 tons of particulate matter. Mean values for the years 1993 to 1997 show that the amount of air pollutants from mobile emission sources accounts for 81 percent of all air pollution occurring in Malaysia. The problem will clearly become even more critical as the number of motor vehicles keeps on increasing. As a result of these forms of pollution, Kuala Lumpur and its outskirts, which have heavy motor vehicle traffic, are exposed to high levels of NOx and SO2, and of particulate matter measured as PM10.

Air pollution due to particulate matter, although still below the environmental standard at present, is growing more severe as time goes on. Another problem is black smoke from diesel motor vehicles, the subject of numerous complaints from the public. In response, the government has launched a campaign to crack down on vehicles that violate the regulations. In regard to lead pollution, the government in 1991 introduced incentives to use unleaded gasoline, and since 1996 it has been obligatory for gasoline-fueled vehicles to have catalytic converters. These policies have been successful in reducing the level of lead in the atmosphere year by year. Haze is another major problem in Malaysia. There were minor haze incidents in 1993 and 1994, years that recorded low rainfall, but haze on an unprecedented scale occurred from the summer of 1997 due to the huge forest fires that blazed in Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia.
The haze that year continued for five months, from mid-July to November. In late September, when the haze was most severe, air pollution readings in Sarawak exceeded the "hazardous" level of 500 on the Air Pollutant Index (API). As well as affecting health and causing an increase in respiratory complaints, the 1997 haze incident had major economic costs, impacting on transportation services, tourism, and the fishing industry among others. The disaster prompted the government to subsequently ban all open burning within Malaysia.

Air pollution caused by industrial activities is still low in Malaysia. Including both industrial fuels and industrial processes, the industrial sector contributes only 7 to 8 percent of total air pollution in the country. Except for special industries such as quarry and rubber production, industrial activities are not a major factor. There are currently 29 air quality monitoring stations in Malaysia, continuously taking air pollution readings. As with water quality, the results are published according to an API. The API consists of five parameters (PM10, CO, NO, SO2, and ozone (O3)), and readings are classified in five rankings (good, moderate, unhealthy, very unhealthy and hazardous). As measured by the API, air pollution nationally was at good to moderate levels in 1997, except in September when particulate matter was at high concentrations because of the haze, and air pollution was not a particular problem.
Readings for the five substances used as parameters were also below the air quality standards, except for PM10 levels around September.