The ENVIBASE-Project

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Traffic
Athens

Description of the Problem

Athens, like other large metropolitan areas around the world, has significant air pollution problems from traffic. Vehicles are responsible for 55 % of the pollution, making them the main contributor. Central heating is the second biggest contributor at 30 %, only significant only during the short Greek heating season. Industry is the smallest contributor at 15 %, affecting mainly neighbouring areas. The above percentages are based on fuel consumption figures (1995 statistics) and then modified with specific pollutant coefficients.

During the last ten years, the number of cars in Athens has increased from 800,000 to 1,500,000. This increase has created chaotic traffic conditions, health problems due to near ground air pollution, roadside traffic noise, as well as secondary environmental problems.

The proportion of private/passenger car ownership in Athens is 2.4 citizens/car, which is considered to be very high, showing an annual increase of 6-7 %. At this rate, by the year 2000 Athens will have 1.9 citizens/car, one of the highest ratios in the world and close to California’s levels.

Attica SOS is a package of measures announced in spring 1994 by the Ministry of Environment concerning secondary measures specially for vehicles. Such as:

For all the above measures, only a few are in existence (bus routes, difference between shopping and office hours), and these are either degraded or have little effect. Therefore, the only two instruments which have been effective until now in keeping atmospheric pollution at reasonable levels are:

The Legal Framework Concerns

Fuel Quality

Vehicles

Data Sources

During 1996 a network of ten air quality monitoring stations was in full operation in the metropolitan area of Athens and overseen by the Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works.

There exists comparable data since 1984 which is presented annually in an official report. The measured pollutants are: CO, NO, NO2, O3, SO2 and smoke. Additionally, there are four inspection groups (three equipped with exhaust gas analysers and one for checking "cards") specialised for vehicles. During 1997, 8156 such inspections were performed.

The Municipality of Athens has an independent air pollution monitoring programme, with one permanent and one mobile station. They operate another four permanent stations equipped for car inspections. About 10,000 such inspections are executed every year. Another eight stations will be operated by the Ministry of Transportation. All the above-mentioned stations are measured on a regular basis. Apart from these organisations, there is a great number of different organisations such as universities, the National Observatory of Athens, research institutes, EU projects/initiatives (CORINAIR, HYDROSCOPE), etc. that are involved in air quality measurement and analysis.

Methods

The database produced for the measurement of air quality is based on hourly average values (based on minute automatic measurements) on a 24-hour basis.

Results

The database shows the pollution values and also the maps for traffic noise and car volume.

Results Analysis and evaluation methods Data
inventory maps / cadastral register Complex summarising / interpolation maps reference area / resolution / scale analogical / digital result calculation steps and spatial depiction main parameter Other necessary data Temporal distribution of data collection survey unit scale
Roadside traffic noise
1987 edition, Ministry of Environment, Department of Atmospheric pollution and noise control
  Municipality of Athens
1:10000
(inner circle)
analogical   dB (A)     point data
Roadside traffic noise
1997 edition, Ministry of Environment, Department of Atmospheric pollution and noise control
  Municipality of Athens
1:15000
(whole area)
analogical   dB (A)     point data
Traffic volumes
1990 edition, Ministry of Environment
  Central Athens
1:20000
analogical Average traffic volume (weekday) vehicles/day     point data
Traffic volumes
1990 edition, Ministry of Environment
  Greater Athens Area
1:40000
analogical   vehicles/day     point data
Atmospheric pollutants
Ministry of Environment
  Greater Athens Area
data base
  Infrared absorbtion (NDIR) CO (g/m³) wind speed (m/sec) and direction 9 stations hourly average values (based on minute automatic measurements) on 24 hour basis
Atmospheric pollutants
Ministry of Environment
  Greater Athens Area data base Chemical illuminance NO, NO2 (ìg/m³) wind speed (m/sec) and direction 10 stations hourly average values (based on minute automatic measurements) on 24 hour basis
Atmospheric pollutants
Ministry of Environment
  Greater Athens Area data base UV absorption O3 (ìg/m³) wind speed (m/sec) and direction 9 stations hourly average values (based on minute automatic measurements) on 24 hour basis
Atmospheric pollutants
Ministry of Environment
  Greater Athens Area data base Fluorescent measurement SO2 (ìg/m³) wind speed (m/sec) and direction 9 stations hourly average values (based on minute automatic measurements) on 24 hour basis
Atmospheric pollutants

Ministry of Environment

  Greater Athens Area data base OEVD method smoke (ìg/m³) wind speed (m/sec) and direction 6 stations daily basis

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