1. MONITORING AND EVALUATION

1. National Monitoring Network

One of the fixed stations is located in the Fort Railway Station car park in the central business (city centre) area of Colombo. The objective of locating the station here was to measure ambient air quality within a local area, which experiences high traffic volumes. The other fixed station is located within the Meteorological Station in Colombo which is located within a residential area with relatively fewer emission sources and serves for measuring background concentrations.

The 3 stations are equipped with the following:

• Air Quality Samplers: Sulphur dioxide, Oxides of Nitrogen, Carbon monoxide, Ozone, Particulates (PM10)
• Meteorological Instruments: Wind Direction, Wind Speed (Horizontal & Vertical), Ambient Temperature, Precipitation, Solar Radiation

Table 1: Mobile Monitoring Programme Sites
 

Site	Description
Ambewela Town	Latitude: 6.884oN Longitude: 80.800oE Height from MSL: 1828.4m  Surroundings: Rural, situated in the hill station. Surrounded by a plateau
Hambantota Meteorological site	Latitude: 6.117oN Longitude: 81.133oE Height from MSL: 15.5m  Surrounding: Semi-urban area, south side open to sea, 1 km away from the town.
Katugastota Meteorological Station	Latitude: 7.333oN Longitude: 80.633oE Height from MSL: 477.1m Surrounding: Residential, trees around the site.
Anuradhapura Meteorological Station	Latitude: 8.333oN Longitude: 80.383oE Height from MSL: 92.5m  Surrounding: Semi-Urban area,
Puttalam Meteorological Station	Latitude: 8.033oN Longitude: 79.834oE Height from MSL: 2.13m  Surrounding: Semi-Urban.

Monitoring in these sites is for one week continuously at a frequency of 4 times in a year. The timing is selected such that it covers the 2 monsoon periods and the inter-monsoon periods.

The 2 monsoons are associated with wind patterns that primarily bring rainfall into the country. The monsoon rainfall is mainly orographic the rainfall during the inter-monsoon period is mainly due to convection. The details of the weather patterns are as shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Weather Pattern in Sri Lanka
 

Period	Duration	Wind Direction	Average Wind Speed (km/h)	Average Rainfall	Predominant Rain fall Locations
1st Inter Monsoon	March – April		(April) Colombo – 7 Hambantota – 15 Trincomalee – 10 Puttalam – 9 Nuwara Eliya – 7	<850mm	Southern and western lowlands
Southwest Monsoon	May –September	Westerly –mid troposphere Easterly – upper troposphere	(July) Colombo – 17 Hambantota – 23 Trincomalee – 16 Puttalam – 17 Nuwara Eliya – 12	<3500mm	Western Slopes and Western lowland

2nd Inter Monsoon	October – November		(October) Colombo – 8 Hambantota – 19 Trincomalee – 13 Puttalam – 11 Nuwara Eliya – 10	<1500mm	Northern and Eastern lowlands
Northeast Monsoon	December –February	Easterly – mid troposphere South easterly – upper troposphere	(January) Colombo – 9 Hambantota – 23 Trincomalee – 19 Puttalam – 9 Nuwara Eliya – 9	<1300mm	Eastern slopes and Eastern lowland

Source: T Somasekaram (1997)

The National Atlas of Sri Lanka (1988)

The temperature varies at the rate of 6.5^oC for each 1000m rise from the lowlands to the highest attitude. The annual mean lowland temperature is 27^oC and annual mean temperature of 15^oC in the hill stations.

The locations of the 5 monitoring sites outside Colombo are such that it covers both the southern and western lowlands (Hambantota, Puttalam), high altitude plains (Ambewela), northern lowland (Anuradhapura) and the intermediate plain (Katugastota). Since the 5 sites are monitored continuously during a given period i.e. the monitoring station is moved from one site to another completing the cycle within that monsoonal or inter monsoonal period, it be envisaged that it would capture the change in wind patterns corresponding to the period. Since the programme only began in 1999, it is not possible to establish any conclusions at this point of time. One of the underlying objectives of the programme is to capture any transboundary movement of air pollution that is carried by the winds during the monsoon periods. The other criteria that determined the locations of the sites were security and availability of 3-phase electricity to run the monitoring stations. Also the programme is carried out in association with the Meteorological Department so that the once enough data is generated modelling could be made easier. However, no modelling was done prior to choosing the sites.

There is no co-ordinated national acid rain monitoring programme in Sri Lanka. However, since 1995, the Department of Chemistry of the University of Peradeniya (UoP) under a programme sponsored by donor agencies has systematically analysed every month rainwater collected from 12 weather stations around the country.

Locations of these sites are predominantly in the western slopes of the country. Rainwater samples are collected from 12 rain gauge stations of the Meteorological Department and analysed for pH, Cl^-, NO₃^- and SO₄^2-. In addition to the Meteorological Station sites listed above (See Table 1, excluding the Ambewela site) the other acid rain is monitored in the sites listed in Table 3 below. See Map 1 for location of ambient and acid rain monitoring sites.

Table 3: Acid Rain Monitoring Programme Sites
 

Site	Description
Maha Illuppalama Rain Gauge Station	Latitude: 8.117oN Longitude: 80.467oE Height from MSL: 137m  Surrounding: rural
Kurunegala Rain Gauge Station	Latitude: 7.167oN Longitude: 80.633oE Height from MSL: 116m  Surrounding: Urban,
Badulla Rain Gauge Station	Latitude: 6.984oN Longitude: 81.050oE Height from MSL: 669.6m  Surrounding: Urban, hill station
Bandarawela Rain Gauge Station	Latitude: 6.817oN Longitude: 80.967oE Height from MSL: 1225m  Surrounding: Urban, Hill Station
Nuwara-Eliya Rain Gauge Station	Latitude: 6.967oN Longitude: 80.767oE Height from MSL: 1895m  Surrounding: Urban, Hill station
Udawalawe Rain Gauge Station	Latitude: 6o35’N Longitude: 80o58’E Height from MSL: m  Surrounding: rural
Galle Rain Gauge Station	Latitude: 6.033oN Longitude: 80.217oE Height from MSL: 12.5m  Surrounding: Urban, sea side
University of Peradeniya	Latitude: 7o15’N Longitude: 80o34’E Height from MSL: 470m  Surrounding: Semi-Urban,

 Source: O A Ileperuma, et al. (1998)

Presently, the measured data on ambient air quality is processed by the NBRO and monthly reports are given to the CEA. A Sub Committee headed by the Director General, NBRO discusses trend reports and CEA tables the report at the main Clean Air 2000 Action Plan (CA2AP) Implementation Committee. A ‘Magi’ board is maintained within the Fort Railway Station site where the average daily results are displayed. The PM10 data is also published weekly through a weekend newspaper (Weekend Express). Presently, the data on acid rain are only published and publicised by the Department of Chemistry, UoP at seminar forums but the data could be obtained on request from the department.

Initial analysis concludes that " Acid rain is not a major problem in Sri Lanka compared to other more industrialised countries in the region such as Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. However, there are a number of locations where acid rain (rain water having a pH<5.6) is indeed present which should be of concern to the country. This is most prevalent in the hill country and the north central province" (O A Ileperuma, et. al., 1998).

Emissions from point sources are not presently being monitored by any agency. As a requirement for EIA and to obtain Environmental Licensing, industries and power plants are required to submit emissions reports to the CEA to show compliance as per the stipulated conditions. However, due to non-availability of suitable point source emission monitoring equipment and the expertise this is not often carried out. In the recent the mobile station has been used by some of the power stations to monitor ambient air quality based on a model or in predetermined areas. The data is interpolated back to the point source and suitable remedial actions are instituted if the results do not conform to acceptable norms. According to the Clean Air 2000 Action Plan (CA2AP), the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) formerly the Ceylon Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research (CISIR) was named the responsible institution for monitoring point source emissions since they where in direct contact with the industry. However, due to funding problems this action was not been carried out till now.

NBRO through funding from the Sri Lanka Research Council has obtained funding for exposure and passive sampling in selected locations in Colombo starting in the year 2000.

Mobile emissions are not monitored by any institution at present. The responsibility of monitoring lies with the CEA and the Commissioner of Motor Traffic (CMT). However, due to non-availability of infrastructure and lack of funding, monitoring has not been carried out thus far.

Action Plan:

The objective is to establish an integrated air quality information system that can be used for developing policy and regulations. Also the monitoring programme would assist in the validation of the dispersion models for the country and the region. The following short-term and long term actions are proposed to achieve the above objectives.

1. Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network: Presently CEA has only 3 monitoring stations for ambient air quality monitoring to cover the entire island. Since the monitoring only began at the end of 1996, the experience in running a monitoring programme is limited. The Treasury is presently providing funding for this activity, which is limited to Rs 3.5 million per annum to cover both operation and maintenance (including the procurement of spare parts). Additional costs are covered by NBRO, which generates limited revenue through consultancies that is carried out using the mobile station. Two additional mobile stations equipped with air quality monitors (NO_x, SO₂, PM10/2.5, Ozone and CO) would enable augmentation and parallel sampling in the selected mobile station monitoring programme sites. Also these stations could be used to monitor "hot spots" such as Kandy, Badulla, Kurunegala, Trincomalee, Galle and Negambo towns such that the entire western and eastern slopes are covered. Also these locations would cover the various landuse patterns existing in the Island. Alternatively passive samplers could be stationed at these sites.
2. Acid Rain Monitoring: It is proposed that support to be given to continue with the present monitoring that is being carried out by the Department of Chemistry, UoP. In addition the CEA executed mobile station programme should include the monitoring of acid rain along with the ambient air quality monitoring programme.
3. Point Source Monitoring: Since no monitoring is been carried out presently, ITI should be provided assistance to procure stack emission monitoring equipment and to effect modifications to stacks so that sampling can be carried out. Monitoring of all point sources beginning with the high polluting industries should be carried out once every 6 months.
4. Mobile Source Monitoring: This should begin in Colombo with a random sampling programme carried out on all categories of vehicles by the CMT along with the CEA. Procurement of mobile source emission monitoring equipment is essential for this activity.
5. Data dissemination and networking: It is clear that presently monitoring is being carried out by various research and enforcement authorities sometimes duplicating efforts and is largely uncoordinated. The Ministry of Forestry and Environment (M/F&E), that chairs the CA2AP Implementation Committee should form the main co-ordinating body for all monitoring and research programmes on air quality management.

1. National Emission Inventories

Action Plan:

       a  National & District Inventory: CEA should assist the D/C&S to develop and maintain a GIS based national and district inventories on all sources (point, area and mobile) of air pollution emission.

CEA should develop a questionnaire and reporting mechanism to be part of the annual licence renewal procedure for collection of point source emission data.

CEA should also conduct test to determination of calorific values, sulphur content and sulphur retention in ash for the various energy sources in Sri Lanka.

Summary of the Action Plan to improve the present monitoring network ,data determination and to standardise emission inventory is outlined in Table 4 below:
 

Table 4: Summary of the Proposed Actions
 

Issue	Proposed Action	Institution Responsible	Approximate Cost – US$
Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network	Procure 2 mobile ambient monitoring stations Additional monitoring in other cities	CEA	300,000 40,000/y
Acid Rain Monitoring	To continue with the present monitoring programme	Depart. Of Chemistry, UoP	20,000/y
Point Source Monitoring	To procure 4 stack monitoring equipment	ITI/CEA	40,000
Mobile Source Monitoring	Procure 4 samplers Develop a random sampling programme To establish vehicle I/M centre	CMT/CEA/ Police CMT	50,000 15,000/y 750,000
Data dissemination and networking	Air Pollution Index Development Publication of the index daily Development of a web site	CEA	25,000 15,000/yr 15,000
National & District Inventory	To update and maintain the GIS based inventory Develop a procedure for reporting from point source Testing of energy sources	CEA/D/C&S CEA CEA	20,000/y         20,000
National Emission Factors & Guidelines	Develop national emission factors and guidelines for estimation	CEA	50,000