NBROs’ contribution to the National Air Quality Management has a long standing history as a pioneer air quality monitoring agency.
In all national committees and dialogues which were conducted to address the air pollution management in the country recognizes the Air Quality Unit of the ESSD as a leading mandated air quality monitoring facility. The unit has been disseminating ambient air quality status data to these committees for decision making apart from serving as technical experts in these committees. Further the unit which holds the largest air quality database in the country is shared with the scientific community at national and international workshops and conferences such as annual Air Resource Management Workshop and South Asia Better Air Quality Management Conference.
Currently the air quality monitoring unit includes staff and instrumentation of both field and laboratory monitoring. The unit has also developed a unique low cost monitoring facilities through extensive research to monitor SO2 and NOx in the ambient air by passive wet chemical monitoring techniques.
Mr. H.D.S. Premasiri This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
RMV Project
Monitoring of Ambient Air Quality in Main Urban Cities in Sri Lanka was started in the year 2012 by NBRO from the VET Trust Fund given by the VET Project of RMV and the project was continued in the 2016 as well.
The project is a nationally important project and the NBRO acts as the monitoring agency for Vehicular Emission Control Program, implemented by the government under “Clean Air 2012” program of which the main focus is to improve air quality by controlling vehicular emissions. Under this project, ambient air quality is monitored at Colombo, Gampaha, Horana, Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Kandy, Kurunegala and Anuradhapura areas.
The project involves collection of substantial amount of data in the field as well as in the laboratory, analysis of results using descriptive statistics and testing for statistical significance, preparation of reports of high quality including photographs, maps and graphical interpretations etc., and presenting outcomes at the official forums of VET steering committee and in national air quality forums.