COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

ENGINEERS IN SOCIETY PROJECT (COEB 422)

SECTION 3

SEMESTER 1 2017/2018

PROJECT TITLE: AIR POLLUTION IN MALAYSIA

QUESTION NUMBER: 4

GROUP MEMBERS:

NAME ID
JONATHAN JOHNNY RAJATIN ME096135
JEVARAJAN GANESAN ME095441
VASANTHAN RAO A/L CHANDRA SEJARA RAO ME093458
AHMAD NAIM BIN AHMAD NAZRI ME096943
FAISAL ARIFF BIN FADZLI ME091044

INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Ir. Dr. Au Mau Teng

TABLE OF CONTENT
NUM CONTENT PAGE
2
1 Abstract
3
2 Acknowledgement
4
3 Introduction
5
4 Objective
6
5 Air Pollution Overview: -
a. Causes of Air Pollution 9

b. Effects of Air Pollution 9

12
c. Overcoming Air Pollution
16
6 Survey Outcome Analysis
7 Case Studies: -
a. Case Study I: The 2015 ASEAN haze 25

outbreak
b. Case Study II: Industrial pollution in 28
Malaysia
c. Case Study III: Vehicle emissions by
32
high volume traffic in Selangor,
Malaysia

35
8 Discussion
38
9 Conclusion
39
10 Appendix
52
11 References

1
ABSTRACT
Engineers in Society (COEB422) is a core subject that is conducted by the College of
Engineering and it is compulsory for all the engineering students to take this subject. This course
is important because it provides an overview of the social dimension of the engineering
profession. It also introduces the professional bodies and code of conduct of the engineer. Other
than that, need of sustainable development, occupational safety and health, legal and ethical
issues in engineering practice and intellectual property rights are discussed in this subject. An
important task that is required by the students is to perform the group project, produce a group
report and present the group findings based on the question given. All of these will have a
weightage of 40 % from the total weightage of the assignment of this subject. Our group was
assigned to do question four which is to perform case studies on how engineers, the government
and the public could play a more effective role to overcome this air pollution issues to create
sustainable environment in term of economics issues in Malaysia. We also have to conduct a
survey among our peers from people of the public especially students by asking relevant
questions related to intellectual property from the legal, moral and ethical aspects.

2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, we would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Au Mau Teng for guiding us
throughout this project. He answered our uncertainties and also guided us throughout the project.
We are also grateful to Mr. Daud Bin Mohamad and Ir. Mokhtar for their contributions to make
this project a successful one. Their lectures provided us a great deal of information for this group
project. Subsequently, we would like to thank our classmates and other Uniten students for
completing our surveys. Their time and efforts are deeply appreciated. Our peers and also the
public did not hesitate to complete the survey despite their busy schedule. The positive feedback
from our peers gave us the drive to proceed with the project regardless of the obstacles and the
challenges while doing this project.

3
INTRODUCTION
The question that was given to our group by our lecturer is question no. 4 and as follows:

Currently air pollution has been an ongoing problem in many countries in the Southeast
Asia region, and Malaysia is one of the worst affected. The main cause of this haze is the
slash and burn practice by farmers and peat fires blown by the wind from Indonesia
especially Sumatra, which mainly affects the Peninsular Malaysia and Kalimantan, which
mainly affects East Malaysia. Air pollutants can be either gases or aerosols with particles
or liquid droplets suspended in the air. They change the natural composition of the
atmosphere, can be harmful to humans and other living species and can cause damage to
natural water bodies and the land.
Discuss how engineers, the government and the public could play a more effective role to
overcome this air pollution issues to create sustainable environment in term of economics
issues in Malaysia.

Based on our question, in this project report, we will discuss on how engineers, the government
and the public could play a more effective role to overcome this air pollution issues to create
sustainable environment in term of economics issues in Malaysia, we would include the
overview of air pollution in Malaysia, causes and also the solutions done so far for air pollution
in Malaysia.

In this project, we will discuss how far is the air pollution problem is happening in Southeast
Asia in general and Malaysia in particular. We will also conduct a survey and will be blasted to
the public and also to peers to get a certain information on how they would play a role in
restricting the air pollution and also how would they expect the government would react to
certain extent of air pollution. The surveys will contain questions that are brief and easy to
understand. Furthermore, three case studies are discussed thoroughly to understand air pollution
in this region more.

4
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of our course are to precede the professional bodies and code of professional
conduct, to highlight the need for sustainable development and occupational safety and health in
engineering manner and last but not least to provide an insight in todays environmental issues
The main purpose of the group project is to manifest professionalism of the students as a future
engineer in Malaysia. The group project assignment in this course will be based on questions 1-
6 as listed in this document. These cases are meant to expose students on issues related in the
work-environment as well as decisions engineers will face. Working in groups also lends a 'real-
world' flavor to the project, since most engineering decisions are made as part of a team.

5
AIR POLLUTION
Currently air pollution has been an ongoing problem in many countries in the Southeast Asia
region, and Malaysia is one of the worst affected. The main cause of this haze is the slash and
burn practice by farmers and peat fires blown by the wind from Indonesia especially Sumatra,
which mainly affects the Peninsular Malaysia and Kalimantan, which mainly affects East
Malaysia. Air pollutants can be either gases or aerosols with particles or liquid droplets
suspended in the air. They change the natural composition of the atmosphere, can be harmful to
humans and other living species and can cause damage to natural water bodies and the land.

Air pollution is one such form that refers to the contamination of the air, irrespective of indoors
or outside. A physical, biological or chemical alteration to the air in the atmosphere can be
termed as pollution. It occurs when any harmful gases, dust, smoke enters into the atmosphere
and makes it difficult for plants, animals and humans to survive as the air becomes dirty. Air
pollution can further be classified into two sections- Visible air pollution and invisible air
pollution. Another way of looking at Air pollution could be any substance that holds the potential
to hinder the atmosphere or the wellbeing of the living beings surviving in it. The sustainment of
all things living is due to a combination of gases that collectively form the atmosphere; the
imbalance caused by the increase or decrease of the percentage of these gases can be harmful for
survival. [1] Air pollution is a mixture of natural and man-made substances in the air we breathe.
It is typically separated into two categories: outdoor air pollution and indoor air pollution.

1. Outdoor air pollution involves exposures that take place outside of the built environment.
Examples include:
Fine particles produced by the burning of fossil fuels (i.e. the coal and petroleum used
in traffic and energy production)
Noxious gases (Sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, etc.)
Ground-level ozone (a reactive form of oxygen and a primary component of urban
smog)
Tobacco Smoke

2. Indoor air pollution involves exposures to particulates, carbon oxides, and other
pollutants carried by indoor air or dust. Examples include:
Gases (carbon monoxide, radon, etc.)
Household products and chemicals
Building materials (asbestos, formaldehyde, lead, etc.)

6
 Outdoor indoor allergens (cockroach and mouse dropping, etc.)
Tobacco smoke
Mold and pollen
In some instances, outdoor air pollution can make its way indoors by way of open windows,
doors, ventilation, etc. [2]

Top-ten gases in air pollution

Any gas could qualify as pollution if it reached a high enough concentration to do harm.
Theoretically, that means there are dozens of different pollution gases. In practice, about ten
different substances cause most concern:

1. Sulphur dioxide: Coal, petroleum, and other fuels are often impure and contain sulphur
as well as organic (carbon-based) compounds. When sulphur burns with oxygen from the
air, sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) is produced. Coal-fired power plants are the world's biggest
source of sulphur-dioxide air pollution, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and health
problems that include lung disease.

2. Carbon monoxide: This highly dangerous gas forms when fuels have too little oxygen to
burn completely. It spews out in car exhausts and it can also build up to dangerous levels
inside your home if you have a poorly maintained gas boiler, stove, or fuel-burning
appliance. (Always fit a carbon monoxide detector if you burn fuels indoors.)

3. Carbon dioxide: This gas is central to everyday life and isn't normally considered a
pollutant: we all produce it when we breathe out and plants such as crops and trees need
to "breathe" it in to grow. However, carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas released by
engines and power plants. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, it's been
building up in Earth's atmosphere and contributing to the problem of global warming and
climate change.

4. Nitrogen oxides: Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and nitrogen oxide (NO) are pollutants
produced as an indirect result of combustion, when nitrogen and oxygen from the air
react together. Nitrogen oxide pollution comes from vehicle engines and power plants,
and plays an important role in the formation of acid rain, ozone and smog. Nitrogen
oxides are also "indirect greenhouse gases" (they contribute to global warming by
producing ozone, which is a greenhouse gas).

5. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): These carbon-based (organic) chemicals

evaporate easily at ordinary temperatures and pressures, so they readily become gases.
That's precisely why they're used as solvents in many different household chemicals such
as paints, waxes, and varnishes. Unfortunately, they're also a form of air pollution: they're
believed to have long-term (chronic) effects on people's health and they also play a role
in the formation of ozone and smog.

7
6. Particulates: These are the sooty deposits in air pollution that blacken buildings and
cause breathing difficulties. Particulates of different sizes are often referred to by the
letters PM followed by a number, so PM10 means soot particles of less than 10 microns
(10 millionths of a meter or 10m in diameter). In cities, most particulates come from
traffic fumes.

7. Ozone: Also called trioxide, this is a type of oxygen gas whose molecules are made from
three oxygen atoms joined together (so it has the chemical formula O 3 ), instead of just the
two atoms in conventional oxygen (O2 ). In the stratosphere (upper atmosphere), a band of
ozone ("the ozone layer") protects us by screening out harmful ultraviolet radiation (high-
energy blue light) beaming down from the Sun. At ground level, it's a toxic pollutant that
can damage health. It forms when sunlight strikes a cocktail of other pollution and is a
key ingredient of smog.

8. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): Once thought to be harmless, these gases were widely

used in refrigerators and aerosol cans until it was discovered that they damaged Earth's
ozone layer. We discuss this in more detail down below.

9. Unburned hydrocarbons: Petroleum and other fuels are made of organic compounds
based on chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms. When they burn properly, they're
completely converted into harmless carbon dioxide and water; when they burn
incompletely, they can release carbon monoxide or float into the air in their unburned
form, contributing to smog.

10. Lead and heavy metals: Lead and other toxic "heavy metals" can be spread into the air
either as toxic compounds or as aerosols in such things as exhaust fumes and the fly
ash (contaminated waste dust) from incinerator smokestacks. [3]

8
CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION

1. Burning of Fossil Fuels: Sulphur dioxide emitted from the combustion of fuels like coal,
petroleum and other factory combustibles is one the major cause of air pollution.
Pollution emitting from vehicles including trucks, jeeps, cars, trains, airplanes cause
immense amount of pollution. We rely on them to fulfil our daily basic needs of
transportation. But, there overuse is killing our environment as dangerous gases are
polluting the environment. Carbon Monoxide caused by improper or incomplete
combustion and generally emitted from vehicles is another major pollutant along with
Nitrogen Oxides, that is produced from both natural and manmade processes.

2. Agricultural activities: Ammonia is a very common by product from agriculture related

activities and is one of the most hazardous gases in the atmosphere. Use of insecticides,
pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural activities has grown quite a lot. They emit
harmful chemicals into the air and can also cause water pollution.

3. Exhaust from factories and industries: Manufacturing industries release large amount
of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air
thereby depleting the quality of air. Manufacturing industries can be found at every
corner of the earth and there is no area that has not been affected by it. Petroleum
refineries also release hydrocarbons and various other chemicals that pollute the air and
also cause land pollution.

4. Mining operations: Mining is a process wherein minerals below the earth are extracted
using large equipment. During the process dust and chemicals are released in the air
causing massive air pollution. This is one of the reason which is responsible for the
deteriorating health conditions of workers and nearby residents.

5. Indoor air pollution: Household cleaning products, painting supplies emit toxic
chemicals in the air and cause air pollution. Suspended particulate matter popular by its
acronym SPM, is another cause of pollution. Referring to the particles afloat in the air,
SPM is usually caused by dust, combustion etc.

Effects of Air Pollution

1. Respiratory and heart problems: The effects of Air pollution are alarming. They are
known to create several respiratory and heart conditions along with Cancer, among other
threats to the body. Several millions are known to have died due to direct or indirect
effects of Air pollution. Children in areas exposed to air pollutants are said to commonly
suffer from pneumonia and asthma.

2. Global warming: Another direct effect is the immediate alterations that the world is
witnessing due to Global warming. With increased temperatures worldwide, increase in
sea levels and melting of ice from colder regions and icebergs, displacement and loss of
habitat have already signaled an impending disaster if actions for preservation and
normalization arent undertaken soon.
9
 3. Acid Rain: Harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides are released into the
atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels. When it rains, the water droplets combine
with these air pollutants, becomes acidic and then falls on the ground in the form of acid
rain. Acid rain can cause great damage to human, animals and crops.

4. Eutrophication: Eutrophication is a condition where high amount of nitrogen present in

some pollutants gets developed on seas surface and turns itself into algae and adversely
affect fish, plants and animal species. The green colored algae that is present on lakes and
ponds is due to presence of this chemical only.

5. Effect on Wildlife: Just like humans, animals also face some devastating effects of air
pollution. Toxic chemicals present in the air can force wildlife species to move to new
place and change their habitat. The toxic pollutants deposit over the surface of the water
and can also affect sea animals.

6. Depletion of Ozone layer: Ozone exists in earths stratosphere and is responsible for
protecting humans from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earths ozone layer is depleting
due to the presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydro chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere.
As ozone layer will go thin, it will emit harmful rays back on earth and can cause skin
and eye related problems. UV rays also have the capability to affect crops.

Figure 1: Jet fuel being burned producing black smokes into the atmosphere

Natural sources of pollution include dust carried by the wind from locations with very little or no
green cover, gases released from the body processes of living beings (Carbon dioxide from
humans during respiration, Methane from cattle during digestion, Oxygen from plants during
Photosynthesis). Smoke from the combustion of various inflammable objects, volcanic
eruptions etc. along with the emission of polluted gases also make it to the list of Natural sources
of Pollution.

10
While looking at the man-made contributions towards air pollution, smoke again features as a
prominent component. The smoke emitted from various forms of combustion like in bio mass,
factories, vehicles, furnaces etc. Waste used to create landfills generate methane, that is harmful
in several ways. The reactions of certain gases and chemicals also form harmful fumes that can
be dangerous to the wellbeing of living creatures. [4]

11
OVERCOMING AIR POLLUTION

On a personal level, driving and flying less, recycling, and conservation reduces a persons
"carbon footprint"the amount of carbon dioxide a person is responsible for putting into the
atmosphere. On a larger scale, governments are taking measures to limit emissions of carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The Paris Agreement, a voluntary agreement among 118
nations ratified on November 4, 2016, is one effort being enacted on a global scale to combat
climate change. As a part of the agreement, each country agreed to take measures to combat
climate change, with the ultimate goal of keeping the post-industrial global temperature rise
below two degrees Celsius. Another method is to put taxes on carbon emissions or higher taxes
on gasoline, so that individuals and companies will have greater incentives to conserve energy
and pollute less. [5]

Solutions for Air Pollution

1. Use public mode of transportation: Encourage people to use more and more public
modes of transportation to reduce pollution. Also, try to make use of carpooling. If you
and your colleagues come from the same locality and have same timings, you can explore
this option to save energy and money.

2. Conserve energy: Switch off fans and lights when you are going out. Large amount of
fossil fuels is burnt to produce electricity. You can save the environment from
degradation by reducing the amount of fossil fuels to be burned.

3. Understand the concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: Do not throw away items that
are of no use to you. In-fact reuse them for some other purpose. For e.g. you can use old
jars to store cereals or pulses.

4. Emphasis on clean energy resources: Clean energy technologies like solar, wind
and geothermal are on high these days. Governments of various countries have been
providing grants to consumers who are interested in installing solar panels for their home.
This will go a long way to curb air pollution.

5. Use energy efficient devices: CFL lights consume less electricity as against their
counterparts. They live longer, consume less electricity, lower electricity bills and also
help you to reduce pollution by consuming less energy.

Several attempts are being made worldwide on a personal, industrial and governmental levels to
curb the intensity at which Air Pollution is rising and regain a balance as far as the proportions of
the foundation gases are concerned. This is a direct attempt at slacking Global warming. We are
seeing a series of innovations and experiments aimed at alternate and unconventional options to
reduce pollutants. Air Pollution is one of the larger mirrors of mans follies, and a challenge we
need to overcome to see a tomorrow. [6]

12
Technological solutions

It's very easy to criticize power plants, factories, and vehicles that belch polluting gases into the
atmosphere, but virtually all of us rely on these thingsultimately, we are the people polluting.
Solving air pollution is also a challenge because many people have a big investment in the status
quo. For example, it's easier for car makers to keep on making gasoline engines than to
develop electric cars or ones powered by fuel cells that produce less pollution. The world has
thousands of coal-fired power plants and hundreds of nuclear power stations and, again, it's
easier to keep those going than to create an entirely new power system based on solar
panels, wind turbines, and other forms of renewable energy. Growing awareness of problems
such as air pollution and global warming is slowly forcing a shift to cleaner technologies, but the
world remains firmly locked in its old, polluting ways. Let's be optimistic, though. Just as
technology has caused the problem of air pollution, so it can provide solutions. Cars with
conventional gasoline engines are now routinely fitted with catalytic converters that remove
some of the pollutants from the exhaust gases. Power plants are fitted with electrostatic smoke
precipitators that use static electricity to pull dirt and soot from the gases that drift up
smokestacks; in time, it's likely that many older power plants will also be retro-fitted with carbon
capture systems that trap carbon dioxide to help reduce global warming. On a much smaller
scale, environmentally friendly people who want to ventilate their homes without opening
windows and wasting energy can install heat-recovery ventilation systems, which use the heat
energy locked in outgoing waste air to warm fresh incoming air. Technologies like this can help
us live smarterto go about our lives in much the same way with far less impact on the planet.

Figure 2: Pollution solution: an electrostatic smoke precipitator helps to prevent air pollution from this smokestack
at the McNeil biomass power plant in Burlington, VT. Photo by Warren Gretz courtesy of US DOE National
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

13
Laws and regulations

By itself, technology is as likely to harm the environment as to help it. That's why laws and
regulations have been such an important part of tackling the problem of pollution. Many once-
polluted cities now have relatively clean air and water, largely thanks to anti-pollution laws
introduced during the mid-20th century. In England, following the 1952 smog tragedy that killed
thousands in the capital city of London, the government introduced its Clean Air Act of 1956,
which restricted how and where coal could be burned and where furnaces could be sited, and
forced people to build smokestacks higher to disperse pollution. In the United States, a series of
Clean Air Acts were passed between the 1960s and 1990s. The 1990 Pollution Prevention Act
went even further, shifting the emphasis from cleaning up pollution to preventing it ever
happening in the first place. National laws are of little help in tackling transboundary pollution
(when air pollution from one country affects neighboring countries or continents), but that
doesn't mean the law is useless in such cases. The creation of the European Union (now
comprising around 30 different countries) has led to many Europe-wide environmental acts,
called directives. These force the member countries to introduce their own, broadly similar,
national environmental laws that ultimately cover the entire European region. For example, the
1976 European Bathing Water Directive tried to enforce minimum standards of water quality for
beaches and coastal areas across Europe to reduce pollution from sewage disposal, while the
1996 European Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) attempted to
limit air and water pollution from industry. Other successful international laws include the
Convention (1979), which has helped to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions from power plants
and, of course, the Montreal Protocol, which successfully brought 196 countries together to
target ozone depletion. Unfortunately, attempts to control global warming through international
laws and agreements have so far proved less successful.

Raising awareness and changing behavior

Clean technologies can tackle dirty technologies, and laws can make polluters clean up their
actbut none of this would happen without people being aware of pollution and its damaging
effects. Sometimes it takes horrific tragedies to prompt action. Often, we pollute the environment
without even realizing it: how many people know that taking a shower or ironing a shirt can
release indoor air pollution from hot water that they immediately breathe in, for example, helping
people to understand the causes and effects of pollution and what they can do to tackle the issue
is very important. Air pollution is caused by all of us and we can all help to clean it up. [7]

How to reduce air pollution?

1. Save energy: Making electricity in conventional power plants generates pollution, so

anything you can do to save energy will help to reduce pollution and global warming as
well. Switch to low-energy lamps, use a laptop computer instead of a desktop, dry your
clothes outdoors, and heat insulate your home.
2. Save water when you can: Producing cool, clean water needs huge amounts of energy
so cutting water waste is another good way to save energy and pollution.

14
3. Cut the car: Sometimes we have to use cars, but often we can get a bus or a train or for
shorter distances of walk or cycle. Cars are now the biggest source of air pollution in
most urban areas, so traveling some other way through a town or city helps to keep the air
clean. When you have to use your car, drive efficiently to save fuel and money, and cut
pollution. It's particularly important to avoid car use when smog is bad in your city.
4. Never burn household waste: If you burn plastic, you release horrible toxic chemicals
into the local environment, some of which will be sucked up your own
nose! Recycle your trash instead.
5. Garden organically: Would you spray pesticides on your dinner? So why spray them on
your garden? You can tackle virtually all garden pests and diseases in more
environmentally friendly organic ways. Buying organic food is a good option if you can't
grow your own.
6. Cut the chemicals: Do you really need to spray an air freshener to make your home feel
nice? Yes, you fill your room with perfume, but you're also choking it with chemical
pollution. Why not just open a window instead? How many of the chemicals you buy do
you really need to use? Why not try cleaning with microfiber cloths instead of
using detergents?
7. Use water-based paints and glues: Avoid the nasty solvents in paints, varnishes,
and wood preservatives. Remember that if anyone's going to suffer from the air pollution
they create, you're first in line.
8. Reduce, reuse, and recycle: Buying new stuff is fun, but reusing old things can be just
as good.
9. Don't smoke: Cigarettes contain an addictive chemical called nicotine that makes you
want to go on smoking them. They cause all kinds of health problems, but they also cause
very localized air pollution. [8]

15
SURVEY OUTCOME ANALYSIS
The survey that we conducted was an online survey. We asked the following questions:

Our group had conducted an online survey by using Google Form and distributed through
Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. We only targeted a total of 100 respondents throughout our
survey period. 64 males and 36 female respondent had answered our survey. 51% of them are
still a student, 36% are a working person and others are not working.

1. How would you rate the overall air quality in your city compared
to last year?

Figure 3: Graph of air quality compared to previous year.

For a starting, we are asking our respondent about the air quality in their respective cities
compared to last year. Based on Figure 3, we know that about half of respondent has answered
that the air quality in their city is dropping with 37% of them choose a little worse while 9%
others choose the air quality is much worse when comparing to previous year. From this, we can
understand that the air pollution is becoming a big problem to the society.

16
2. To what extend does air pollution affecting you?

Figure 4: Graph of how much did air pollution affected respondent.

Furthermore, from a total of 100 respondents, 94% of them said that they are affected by the
dropping of the air quality. Out of the affected by the air pollution, 32 person said that they are
very much affected.

17
3. In which of the ways are you affected?

Figure 5: Graph of the way respondent affected by air pollution.

Based on Figure 5, it is more than half of respondent are affected in term of their health with 14
of them has an irritation to their eyes, nose and throat. Other than that, they are also has some
difficulties in breathing, skin problems and asthma incidents. Besides that, there are also some
respondent who are worrying about the living environment for their children. This is because,
children are more prone to be affected by the air pollution. Those small particles will easily enter
the children body and weaken their body.

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4. What do u think are the main causes of air pollution in your city?

Figure 6: Graph of causes of air pollution.

Vehicles are the biggest contribution to the pollution of the air said our respondent. It followed
by construction, burning of waste and industrial waste. Then, the third contributor is the
pollution from neighboring countries. Vehicles numbers on the road nowadays is increasing very
quick which lead to the increasing release of carbon monoxide and small particles to the air from
these vehicles.

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5. As an individual, what initiative would u take to control air
pollution?

Figure 7: Graph of initiatives that respondent can take to control air pollution.

Based on Figure 7, 30% of respondent feel that they can contribute to controlling air pollution by
preventing themselves from doing any open burning. Another 27% of them said that by using the
public transport such as bus, Light Rail Transit(LRT) and newly completed Mass Rapid
Transit(MRT), they can reduce the pollution to air. Then, there are also respondent who will
report any illegal activities that cause air pollution and reducing the usage of air conditioner in
their effort in reducing the air pollution.

In terms of government efforts, the majority of our respondent feel that the government should
reduce the hybrid and electric cars price, improve the efficiency of the public transport and fine
any factories or suspend the license if found to be breaching the Air Pollution Index(API).

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6. What steps should the government take to control air pollution?

Figure 8: Graph of governments role in controlling air pollution.

7. Power stations and factories should switch to cleaner processes

even if consumer bills and prices have to go up?

Figure 9: Graph of power stations and factories should switch to cleaner processes even if consumer bills
and prices have to go up.

21
8. Government should do more to promote and encourage a better
environment even if our taxes have to go up slightly?

Figure 10: Graph of government should do more to promote and encourage a better environment even if
our taxes have to go up slightly.

9. Police should stop and check car emissions frequently?

Figure 11: Graph of JPJ/SPAD should stop and check car emissions frequently.

22
Based on Figure 8, Figure 9, Figure 10 and Figure 11, majority of the respondents are agreeing to
the idea of power stations and factories should switch to cleaner processes even if consumer bills
and prices have to go up, government should do more to promote and encourage a better
environment even if our taxes have to go up slightly and JPJ/SPAD should stop and check car
emissions frequently.

10. Do you think the public has enough knowledge about

renewable energy?

Figure 12: Graph of knowledge about renewable energy.

From the results of our survey, our respondent seems confident that our public still lacking
knowledge about the renewable energy with 67% of them said no.

23
11. Do you think our government should utilize renewable energy
more in energy production?

Figure 13: Graph of type of renewable energy should the government utilize in energy production.

They also think that our government should utilize renewable energy more in energy production
with solar energy is what the majority of them choose to be the best renewable energy.

24
 CASE STUDY 1:
The 2015 ASEAN Haze Outbreak

INTRODUCTION
The 2015 Southeast Asian haze was an air pollution crisis affecting several countries
in Southeast Asia, including Brunei, Indonesia , Malaysia, Singapore, southern Thailand,
Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines. The haze affected Indonesia from at least late June,[9] to
the end of October, turning into an international problem for other countries in September. It was
the latest occurrence of the Southeast Asian haze, a long-term issue that occurs in varying
intensity during every dry season in the region.[11] It was caused by forest fires resulting from
illegal slash-and-burn practices, principally on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and
Kalimantan, which then spread quickly in the dry season.

Figure 14: A satellite image by NASA of the haze

More than 28 million people in Indonesia alone were affected by the crisis, and more than
140,000 reported respiratory illness.[10] According to a 2016 study, the haze caused more than
100,000 additional deaths, most of them (> 90,000) in Indonesia. But later, the claim was refuted
by Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysian health authorities. [12] The Indonesian government
estimated that the haze crisis would cost it between 300 and 475 trillion rupiah (up to US$35
billion or S$47 billion) to mitigate.[13] School closures due to the haze were implemented in
Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore; these affected nearly four million students in Malaysia
alone.[14] Among the events disrupted or even cancelled due to the haze were the 2015 FINA
Swimming World Cup in Singapore and the Kuala Lumpur Marathon in Malaysia.
Heavy rains in Sumatra and Kalimantan in the last days of October 2015 significantly reduced
the size and number of fires, and improved the air quality in most affected areas. In turn, the
NEA of Singapore stopped issuing haze advisories from 15 November 2015.

25
FINDINGS
Indonesia has struggled for years to contain forest fires, especially in the islands
of Sumatra and Kalimantan. The fires are caused by firms and farmers engaging in illegal slash-
and-burn practices as a relatively inexpensive means to clear their land of unwanted vegetation
and peat. Sumatra and Kalimantan possess large areas of peatland, which is highly combustible
during dry season. Peat, which is made up of layers of dead vegetation and other organic matter,
contributed heavily to carbon emissions because of the substance's high density[15] and carbon
content. The haze was particularly severe in 2015 due to the El Niophenomenon, which caused
drier conditions, causing the fires to spread more.

Figure 15: The burning Indonesian forest

Research published in the Environmental Research Letters stated that 59% of fire emissions in
Sumatra and 73% in Kalimantan originated from outside timber and palm oil concession
boundaries. Environmental rights activists added that palm oil activities were still involved in the
burning. Firstly, land clearing by burning is cheap and is more often chosen by companies than
any other land-clearing method. Secondly, most companies want to avoid spending money
on reforestation. Any company which obtains a license for forest lands must replant them from a
fund provided by the government. Most companies do not replant, and to avoid detection, they
burn the land. Thirdly, the companies revitalize palm plantations by cutting or burning old palm
trees that are no longer productive. The regulation stipulates that such burning must be done on a
bed of concrete to avoid spreading the fire, but to reduce costs, most companies do not do this. [16]

DISCUSSION
In Malaysia, Unhealthy Air Pollution Index (API) readings were recorded in 24 areas in the
states of Sarawak, with Selangor and Langkawi in Kedah being the worst hit by the haze.
Residents with asthma and pulmonary problems were told to stay indoors until the air quality in
their areas improved. Malaysia's aviation and maritime sectors were put on high alert following a
worsening in view of the reduced visibility caused by the haze. [17] The education ministry stated
all schools had to close if the API readings surpassed 200. As a result, on 15 September, schools
in the four states of Sarawak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Malacca together with the Federal
Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya were ordered to close temporarily.

26
 Figure 16: The effect of the haze in Kuala Lumpur

Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2015 on 3rd of October was cancelled due to the worsening
haze.[18] On 4 October, as haze reached unhealthy levels in many parts of the country, the
government announced that all states except for Kelantan, Sabah and Sarawak were to close
schools again for two days. The API in Shah Alam, Selangor even hit the hazardous level of
308. Until 20 October, around 1,909,842 students from 3,029 schools in Malaysia were affected,
which increased to 2,696,110 students and 4,778 schools by 22 October. Flights were also
delayed and cancelled in the east coast of Sabah due to continuous haze from Kalimantan. [19] It
was a concern in the week leading up to the 2015 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix as the event
could have come under threat of haze.
Responses were quick, both Indonesia and Malaysia started daily cloud seeding on 15
September.[20] Fourteen helicopters were deployed by Indonesian authorities to dump water on
fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, and cloud seeding aircraft were deployed to Kalimantan. In
Malaysia, the cloud seeding operation was carried out for 10 days until 25 September in areas
such as Kuching, Sri Aman, Kota Samarahan and Sarikei in Malaysian Borneo and Klang
Valley in peninsular Malaysia.[21]
The Indonesian government also started building retention basins to restore moisture to the
peatland in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Dry peatland, due to the dry season and also drainage for
oil palm cultivation, was cited as the reason that fire spread quickly. Retention basins were built
by blocking water flow in drainage canals, and the re-wetted peatland would serve to check the
fire.[22]

CONCLUSION
The 2015 ASEAN Haze had cause a big dent in the economics of the of the countries that were
involved. In Malaysia particularly, the everyday trades were disrupted due to the heavy haze that
were caused by irresponsible acts. The air pollution that was so severe would be preventable in
the future due to the fact that people and professionals in the community are now raising
awareness to prevent such pollution in that scale to happen again.

27
 CASE STUDY II:
Industrial Pollution in Malaysia

INTRODUCTION

Industrial pollution is the contamination of the environment by businesses, particularly plants

and factories, that dump waste products into the air and water. Industrial waste is one of the
largest contributors to the global pollution problem endangering people and the environment.
Many dangerous pollutants, by-products of manufacturing, enter the air and water, risking health
and lives. Common pollutants include carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, mercury and lead. Waste
released into the water systems, including medical waste, kills river and ocean life. Cities are
particularly at risk for the direct effects of industrial pollution, but the ultimate results filter down
throughout the environment. [23]

FINDINGS

Inefficient Waste Disposal: Water pollution and soil pollution are often caused directly due to
inefficiency in disposal of waste. Long term exposure to polluted air and water causes chronic
health problems, making the issue of industrial pollution into a severe one. It also lowers the air
quality in surrounding areas which causes many respiratory disorders. [24]

The Industrial Revolution began in the late 18th and 19th centuries and was a period of
significant economic development marked by the introduction of power-driven machinery. Much
like the Agricultural Revolution, the Industrial Revolution began to take shape in Britain and
then spread to other countries. During the Industrial Revolution, many power-driven machines
were invented, which replaced hand tools. This included the cotton gin, which was a machine
used to separate cotton fibers and their seeds. The American inventor of the cotton gin was a man
by the name of Eli Whitney. The cotton gin, along with new inventions in spinning and weaving,
made the mass production of cloth possible and gave a big boost to the textile industry.

This era also led to a large increase in the use of coal. Coal replaced wood and other fuel sources
because it was abundant, efficient and required less work to mine than cutting wood. Coal was
also used to make iron, which was used in the manufacturing of machines and tools, as well as
the construction of ships and bridges. The Industrial Revolution also saw the development of the
steam engine, which was an engine that used steam to perform work. Steam engines were used in
transportation and to power factories.

28
Even though this was a time of economic growth and development, The Industrial Revolution
impacted the environment in negative ways. With the druggery and toil of daily life made easier
thanks to technological advancements, the world saw a major increase in population. This in and
of itself led to environmental changes simply because there were more people consuming more
natural resources. Not only was the population growing, but there was also a rapid growth in
living standards thanks to the economic prosperity of this era. Higher living standards led to
forests being cut down to make way for expanding cities and to provide lumber for construction.

There was also increased demand for raw materials used during the mass production of non-
essential items within factories. These factors led to the depletion of natural resources. Factories
would spew smog and soot into the air and release pollutants and chemicals directly into rivers
and streams, resulting in increased air and water pollution. [25]

DISCUSSION

Causes of Industrial Pollution:

1. Lack of Policies to Control Pollution: Lack of effective policies and poor enforcement drive
allowed many industries to bypass laws made by pollution control board which resulted in mass
scale pollution that affected lives of many people.

2. Unplanned Industrial Growth: In most industrial townships, unplanned growth took place
wherein those companies flouted rules and norms and polluted the environment with both air and
water pollution.

3. Use of Outdated Technologies: Most industries still rely on old technologies to produce
products that generate large amount of waste. To avoid high cost and expenditure, many
companies still make use of traditional technologies to produce high end products.

4. Presence of Large Number of Small Scale Industries: Many small scale industries and
factories that dont have enough capital and rely on government grants to run their day-to-day
businesses often escape environment regulations and release large amount of toxic gases in the
atmosphere.

5. Inefficient Waste Disposal: Water pollution and soil pollution are often caused directly due
to inefficiency in disposal of waste. Long term exposure to polluted air and water causes chronic
health problems, making the issue of industrial pollution into a severe one. It also lowers the air
quality in surrounding areas which causes many respiratory disorders.

6. Leaching of Resources From Our Natural World: Industries do require large amount of
raw material to make them into finished products. This requires extraction of minerals from

29
beneath the earth. The extracted minerals can cause soil pollution when spilled on the earth.
Leaks from vessels can cause oil spills that may prove harmful for marine life.

Effects of Industrial Pollution

1. Water Pollution: The effects of industrial pollution are far reaching and liable to affect the
eco-system for many years to come. Most industries require large amounts of water for their
work. When involved in a series of processes, the water comes into contact with heavy metals,
harmful chemicals, radioactive waste and even organic sludge.

These are either dumped into open oceans or rivers. As a result, many of our water sources have
high amount of industrial waste in them which seriously impacts the health of our eco-system.
The same water is then used by farmers for irrigation purpose which affects the quality of food
that is produced. Water has already rendered many ground water resources useless for humans
and wildlife. It can at best be recycled for further usage in industries.

2. Soil Pollution: Soil pollution is creating problems in agriculture and destroying local
vegetation. It also causes chronic health issues to the people that come in contact with such soil
on a daily basis.

3. Air Pollution: Air pollution has led to a steep increase in various illnesses and it continues to
affect us on a daily basis. With so many small, mid and large scale industries coming up, air
pollution has taken toll on the health of the people and the environment.

4. Wildlife Extinction: By and large, the issue of industrial pollution shows us that it causes
natural rhythms and patterns to fail, meaning that the wildlife is getting affected in a severe
manner. Habitats are being lost, species are becoming extinct and it is harder for the environment
to recover from each natural disaster. Major industrial accidents like oil spills, fires, leak of
radioactive material and damage to property are harder to clean-up as they have a higher impact
in a shorter span of time.

5. Global Warming: With the rise in industrial pollution, global warming has been increasing at
a steady pace. Smoke and greenhouse gases are being released by industries into the air which
causes increase in global warming. Melting of glaciers, extinction of polar beers, floods,
tsunamis, hurricanes are few of the effects of global warming.

The issue of industrial pollution concerns every nation on the planet. As a result, many steps
have been taken to seek permanent solutions to the problem. Better technology is being
developed for disposal of waste and recycling as much polluted water in the industries as
possible. Organic methods are being used to clean the water and soil, such as using microbes that
naturally uses heavy metals and waste as feed. Policies are being pushed into place to prevent
further misuse of land. However, industrial pollution is still rampant and will take many years to
be brought under control. [26]

30
RECOMMENDATIONS

The implementation of control measures should be based on the principle of recovery or

recycling of the pollutants and must be taken as an integral part of production i.e. never as a
liability but always an asset.

Some important control measures are:

1. Control at Source: It involves suitable alterations in the choice of raw materials and process
in treatment of exhaust gases before finally discharged and increasing stock height up to 38
metres in order to ensure proper mixing of the discharged pollutants.

2. Selection of Industry Site: The industrial site should be properly examined considering the
climatic and topographical characteristics before setting of the industry.

3. Treatment of Industrial Waste: The industrial wastes should be subjected to proper

treatment before their discharge.

4. Assessment of the Environmental Impacts: Environmental impact assessment should be

carried out regularly which intends to identify and evaluate the potential and harmful impacts of
the industries on natural eco-system.

5. Strict Implementation of Environmental Protection Act: Environment Protection Act

should be strictly followed and the destroyer of the environment should be strictly punished. [27]

CONCLUSION

Industrial technology uses a dizzying array of chemicals to keep modern life humming. These
chemicals after fulfilling their roles in production end up accumulating in the atmosphere. One of
the main problems is that public awareness is lagging behind the increasingly complex problem
of pollution. The pollution menace and environmental disaster has been a long time in the
making. Ecological concerns have been shunted aside in the rush towards industrialization and
growth. Only now is the full extent of the ecological disaster emerging. The pollution menace
does more than just degrade the quality of life; it dramatically cripples and shortens the life of
human beings. Community health physicians calculate that illnesses traceable to environmental
pollution account for more than 30% of the country's health budget. Officials estimate that one
out of 20 people in the country now dies of environmentally-induced causes. The mass media
and government should work on spreading awareness regarding the issue and it is high time the
government takes a stern position in preventing the hazardous situation. [28]

31
 CASE STUDY III:
Vehicles Emissions by High Volume Traffic in Selangor,
Malaysia

INTRODUCTION

Air pollution is a product of both natural and manmade activities. The latter derives from
industrial operations, transportation, household fuel burning, waste treatment, mining and
agriculture. [29] Emissions of motor vehicles are one of the most common cause of air pollution
nowadays. The oxidation of the carbon monoxide (CO) contained in the fuel does not proceed to
the final product (CO2) due to a lack of combustion air (incomplete combustion). Carbon
monoxide is the product of incomplete combustion which pollutes the air.

In health point of view, carbon monoxide lessens the stream of oxygen in the circulation system
and is especially perilous to people with coronary illness. In the meantime, hydrocarbons (HC)
are unburned or halfway oxidized fuel is the wellspring of HC outflows. Under the high pressure
and temperature conditions in an engine, nitrogen and oxygen atoms in the air react to form
various nitrogen oxides, collectively known as NOx. Nitrogen oxides, like hydrocarbons, are
precursors to the formation of ozone. They also contribute to the formation of acid rain. [30]
Historically in testing process, individual vehicle emissions have been measured using
dynamometer testing and drive cycles.

This study involves on the field measurement of roadside vehicle emissions, followed by an
analysis of the data. Fives high traffic locations were identified and field sites were conducted. It
is therefore expected that the results of this work could further be used for estimation of
environmental impact associated with vehicle emissions. Subsequently, a simulation of traffic
and emission were conducted to compare with the measured on the rod data. Since there is no
similar work conducted before in Selangor, this project will provide for the first time the actual
picture and situation of on-road emissions in this state. [31]

FINDINGS

Increases in urban populations, numbers of cars, vehicle miles traveled, and traffic congestion
are just a few of the trends that suggest that exposure to traffic-related air pollution is on the rise,
particularly in countries with rapidly growing economies. In addition, land-use practices in these
countries have resulted in population increases near traffic, suggesting that motor-vehicle
emissions must be considered in the context of their proximity to populated areas. [32]

32
Emission of Moving Vehicle: The quantification of motor-vehicle emissions is critical in
estimating their impact on local air quality and traffic-related exposures and requires the
collection of travel-activity data over space and time and the development of emissions

Traffic Simulation Software: Traffic simulation or the simulation of transportation systems is

the mathematical modeling of transportation systems through the application of computer
software to better help plan, design and operate transportation systems. Mathematical models
which include relationships between emissions and concentration levels are necessary for
estimation of future trends in air quality. [33]

Several high traffic roads in Selangor are selected for the road air-quality measurement and
analysis. Meanwhile, the latest data concerning carbon monoxide, nitrogen monoxide,
hydrocarbon and particulate emissions and other necessary information are obtained from the
Department of Environments (DOE) Malaysia. [34] An analysis of the vehicle fleet emission data
and other relevant data that must be completed for simulations are obtained from Pelabuhan
Klang, Banting, Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor and Petaling Jaya. Subsequently, simulation
analysis is conducted using traffic software based on Operational Street Pollution Model
(OSPM).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Figure 17: Haze taking effect in Shah Alam, Selangor.

The air quality status for Malaysia is determined and disseminated according to the Air Pollution
Index (API). The following analyses are based on maximum daily measurement and annual
average. Four criteria pollutants, namely Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2),
Ozone (O3), and Particulate Matter (PM10) are monitored continuously at five locations.
Generally, the air qualities for January 2012 are within RMG limit. The maximum daily levels of
ambient PM10 in five places are generally within the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guideline
(RMG) for PM10 which is 150 g/m3 per hour. [35] However, this study found that the average
33
daily PM10 in all the area exceeds the WHO limit. Furthermore, all locations are predicted to
exceed the annual average limit for PM10, while two locations are predicted to exceed NO2
limit. The of averages concentration of Ozone (O3) in Shah Alam shows the highest level of
ozone for January 2012, followed by Pelabuhan Klang, Banting, Petaling Jaya and Kuala
Selangor. [36] For the nitrogen dioxide reading the result indicates good agreement with the
measured data. No measurement at 7am and 5pm since no significant level of NO2 is formed.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no serious incidences of air pollution recorded in the period of January 2012. Air
quality trends for the criteria pollutants in this particular month generally continue to show
downward trends or stable trends well below the level of the national standards. The analysis has
revealed that moving vehicles creates a significant impact in air quality on the specific locations.
Good correlations between measured and modeled data also indicate that OSPM simulation can
be used to predict the measured readings of air pollution in Malaysias environment. More
knowledge and information should be acquired on local meteorological phenomenon, road
condition, traffic volume and drivers mobility and vehicle profile. Also, the impact of non-
precipitation weather elements such as wind, sunlight and temperature should be explored
further.

34
DISCUSSION

Sustainability is mainly divided into three parts. The three strong pillars of sustainability are
environment, social and economy. These three aspects are strongly related for sustainable
development.

Figure 18: Three main pillars of sustainability

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs. Besides that,
sustainability also ensures human survival. Hence we as Mark III engineers (21st Century
Engineers) should play a leadership role in sustainable development, overcoming global
challenges, such as depletion of resources, environmental pollution, rapid population growth and
damage to ecosystems. There are six Principles of the Engineering Council states that;

a. Contribute to building a sustainable society, present and future

b. Apply professional and responsible judgement and take a leadership role
c. Do more than just comply with legislation and codes
d. Use resources efficiently and effectively
e. Seek multiple views to solve sustainability challenges
f. Manage risk to minimize adverse impact to people or the environment

Moving on, for the environmental issues climate change is one of the most obvious issue we can
see. Climate change can cause desertification, rubber in ruins, forest fire raging and human
development report. Besides that, this is also a threat to endangered species. [37]
Air pollution is one of the common environmental issue in sustainable development. The
increase in Carbon Dioxide (burning of fossil fuels), Chlorofluorocarbons, Sulphur Dioxides,
Nitrogen Oxides and Methane are the main reason of air pollution. These gases are called Green
House Gases. The increase of these gases in atmosphere is directly linked to acid rain, global
warming and climate change, greenhouse effect, ozone damage and health problems. There are

35
various respiratory and health problem associated with inhalation of polluted air. [38] Ambient air
quality guidelines and standards are based on the scientifically researched levels of impact of
these pollutants and are used by various organizations and countries as indicators for health and
environmental impacts. Based on the Global Metrics for the Environment 2016 Malaysia ranked
63 out of 180 countries. We ranked 51 in 2014. [39]
The main causes of air pollution in Malaysia is because emissions from engine vehicles,
industrial waste and emissions and polluted air from neighboring regions(Indonesia). The 2015
ASEAN Haze had cause a severe impact to our economics and ASEAN countries. We
Malaysians suffered from severe health issues during the haze which caused by the forest
burning in Indonesia. We should take it as a lesson and always take early prevention actions to
avoid such pollution happen again. [40]

Besides that, a study of Vehicles Emissions in High Volume Traffic also suggested that
emissions from engine vehicles also is one of the main cause of air pollution in Malaysia. The
study concludes that in high volume traffic area(Selangor) the amount of pollutants released by
engine vehicles is extremely high. Hence government should promote and improve public
transportation in high volume traffic area of reduce the amount of pollutants released. [41]
Industrial waste is one of the main cause of air pollution in Malaysia. Unplanned Industrial
Growth, Lack of Policies to Control Pollution and Use of Outdated Technologies are the main
reasons that industrial pollutants. Based on our Case Study 2(Industrial Pollution in Malaysia)
there are many reasons that we should overcome to reduce industrial pollutants. Government and
the society should play important role to overcome this issue in proper way. Some of the
recommendations are Selection of Industry Site, Treatment of Industrial Waste and Strict
Implementation of Environment Protection Act. [42]
Moving on, from health and safety aspect we can see that there many impact of air pollutions for
the environment and humans in several ways. For example, in the presence of NO2 as catalyst
with further oxidation of SO2 creates H2SO4 which plays a role in formation of acid rain. The
negative impacts of acid rain are mostly direct on vegetation, soil, aquatic-life creatures and
buildings. The acid in rain water is too dilute to have significant health effects on humans
directly. Air pollution can have either short term effects or long-term effects. The criterion for
understanding the extent of the effect includes duration of exposure to pollutant and more
importantly, concentration of pollutant. Short-term reactions are irritation to the eyes, nose and
throat, and upper respiratory. Headaches, malaise, and allergic reactions may also be present.
Short-term air pollution can worsen the medical conditions of individuals with asthma and
emphysema. [43]

36
Table 1: Malaysias Performance in Environmental Performance Index

37
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this project focuses on the understanding of air pollution in Southeast Asia
and in Malaysia in particular. We also study the role of the government, the public and also
engineers in overcoming the air pollution problem. We made a survey to understand more about
the public opinion on this current and ongoing issue. The result that has been obtained gave us a
glimpse on the public perception about air pollution. The survey was conducted on 100 people. It
is a 100% online survey. The survey was answered by 36 females and 64 males. The analysis of
the survey was thoroughly done and explained in the survey outcome analysis. The survey was
very useful as it was a random outreach to random people with different background.

Other than that, we also made a research on three case studies on the air pollution issue in
Malaysia. The three case studies are the 2015 ASEAN haze outbreak, industrial pollution in
Malaysia and vehicles emission by high volume traffic in Selangor, Malaysia. These 3 case
studies are different situations that causes different type of air pollution in Malaysia. For the
2015 ASEAN haze outbreak, it caused a big dent in the economics of the of the countries that
were involved. In Malaysia particularly, the everyday trades were disrupted due to the heavy
haze that were caused by irresponsible acts. The air pollution that was so severe would be
preventable in the future due to the fact that people and professionals in the community are now
raising awareness to prevent such pollution in that scale to happen again. For the industrial
pollution in Malaysia, the pollution does more than just degrade the quality of life; it
dramatically cripples and shortens the life of human beings. An estimated one out of 20 people in
the country now dies of environmentally-induced causes. The mass media and government
should work on spreading awareness regarding the issue and it is high time the government takes
a stern position in preventing the hazardous situation. Lastly for the vehicles emission by high
volume traffic in Selangor, Malaysia, the analysis has revealed that moving vehicles creates a
significant impact in air quality on the specific locations. Good correlations between measured
and modeled data also indicate that OSPM simulation can be used to predict the measured
readings of air pollution in Malaysias environment. More knowledge and information should be
acquired on local meteorological phenomenon, road condition, traffic volume and drivers
mobility and vehicle profile.

Finally, the sustainability factor has three main pillars namely environment, social and
economy. This could lead to sustainable development which is development that meets the needs
of the present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs.
Other than that, the health and safety aspect of air pollution was studied and understood. In a
nutshell, this project was a very eye opening project to the world around us. This project has also
forge a burning desire in all of us to be aware of the ever alarming environment and to overcome
the problems that comes with it.

38
APPENDIX

Figure A1: The first meeting in UPTEN

Figure A2: The 10th and final meeting in 24-hour study area, UNITEN Library

39
Online Survey Question

40
41
Minutes of Meeting 1
Date : 05/ 07/ 2017

Location : UPTEN

Duration : 7.00pm 7.50pm

Prepared by : Jonathan Johnny Rajatin

Attendance :

1. Jonathan Johnny Rajatin ME096135

2. Jevarajan Ganesan ME095441
3. Vasanthan Rao a/l Chandra ME093458
4. Ahmad Naim Bin Ahmad Nazri ME096943
5. Faisal Ariff Bin Fadli ME091044

Topic Discussed :

1) Everyone was asked to do a research on the air pollution in Southeast Asia.

2) Questions about the project were discussed among the members.
3) Things to do were updated inside the WhatsApp group.

Things to be done :

1) The minutes of meeting.

2) To do research.

42
Minutes of Meeting 2
Date : 06/ 07/ 2017

Location : COE Food court

Duration : 7.00pm 7.30pm

Prepared by : Jonathan Johnny Rajatin

Attendance :

1. Jonathan Johnny Rajatin ME096135

2. Jevarajan Ganesan ME095441
3. Vasanthan Rao a/l Chandra ME093458
4. Ahmad Naim Bin Ahmad Nazri ME096943
5. Faisal Ariff Bin Fadli ME091044

Topic Discussed :

1) Short discussion on anything missed yesterday.

Things to be done :

1) The minutes of meeting.

2) To do research.

43
Minutes of Meeting 3
Date : 11/ 07/ 2017

Location : COE Food court

Duration : 7.00pm 7.50pm

Prepared by : Jonathan Johnny Rajatin

Attendance :

1. Jonathan Johnny Rajatin ME096135

2. Jevarajan Ganesan ME095441
3. Vasanthan Rao a/l Chandra ME093458
4. Ahmad Naim Bin Ahmad Nazri ME096943
5. Faisal Ariff Bin Fadli ME091044

Topic Discussed :

1) The job for the project report were assigned. The leader assigned particular job to each
member.
Jonathan will do the introduction, acknowledgement, abstract and objective. Also
included in his job is the minutes of meeting.
Jevarajan and Vasanthan will do the discussion.
Ahmad Naim and Faisal will do the survey.

Things to be done :

1) The minutes of meeting.

2) Google form for the survey.

44
Minutes of Meeting 4
Date : 12/ 07/ 2017

Location : COE Food court

Duration : 7.00pm 8.00pm

Prepared by : Jonathan Johnny Rajatin

Attendance :

1. Jonathan Johnny Rajatin ME096135

2. Jevarajan Ganesan ME095441
3. Vasanthan Rao a/l Chandra ME093458
4. Ahmad Naim Bin Ahmad Nazri ME096943
5. Faisal Ariff Bin Fadli ME091044

Topic Discussed :

1) The progress so far for the project report were reviewed.

2) The survey questions that are prepared by Naim and Faizal were reviewed by all the
group members and discussed.

Things to be done :

1) The minutes of meeting.

2) Google form for the survey.

45
Minutes of Meeting 5
Date : 13/ 07/ 2017

Location : COE Food court

Duration : 7.00pm 7.50pm

Prepared by : Jonathan Johnny Rajatin

Attendance :

1. Jonathan Johnny Rajatin ME096135

2. Jevarajan Ganesan ME095441
3. Vasanthan Rao a/l Chandra ME093458
4. Ahmad Naim Bin Ahmad Nazri ME096943
5. Faisal Ariff Bin Fadli ME091044

Topic Discussed :

1) The progress so far for the project report were reviewed.

The introduction, acknowledgement, abstract and objective are all done.
Google form survey was completed and ready to be blasted.

Things to be done :

1) The minutes of meeting.

46
Minutes of Meeting 6
Date : 19/ 07/ 2017

Location : UPTEN

Duration : 7.00pm 7.50pm

Prepared by : Jonathan Johnny Rajatin

Attendance :

1. Jonathan Johnny Rajatin ME096135

2. Jevarajan Ganesan ME095441
3. Vasanthan Rao a/l Chandra ME093458
4. Ahmad Naim Bin Ahmad Nazri ME096943
5. Faisal Ariff Bin Fadli ME091044

Topic Discussed :

1) The progress so far for the project report were reviewed.

The case studies are discussed and assigned to each member.
3 case studies were decided to researched.

Things to be done :

1) The minutes of meeting.

2) Case studies research.

47
Minutes of Meeting 7
Date : 24/ 07/ 2017

Location : COE Food court

Duration : 7.30pm 8.20pm

Prepared by : Jonathan Johnny Rajatin

Attendance :

1. Jonathan Johnny Rajatin ME096135

2. Jevarajan Ganesan ME095441
3. Vasanthan Rao a/l Chandra ME093458
4. Ahmad Naim Bin Ahmad Nazri ME096943
5. Faisal Ariff Bin Fadli ME091044

Topic Discussed :

1) The progress so far for the project report were reviewed.

The current findings on the case studies were reviewed.
The group discuss about any improvement.

Things to be done :

1) The minutes of meeting.

2) Case study completion.

48
Minutes of Meeting 8
Date : 26/ 07/ 2017

Location : UPTEN

Duration : 8.00pm 8.50pm

Prepared by : Jonathan Johnny Rajatin

Attendance :

1. Jonathan Johnny Rajatin ME096135

2. Jevarajan Ganesan ME095441
3. Vasanthan Rao a/l Chandra ME093458
4. Ahmad Naim Bin Ahmad Nazri ME096943
5. Faisal Ariff Bin Fadli ME091044

Topic Discussed :

1) The progress so far for the project report were reviewed.

The introduction, acknowledgement, abstract and objective are all done.
The survey outcome was reviewed.
Naim and Faisal will proceed on the analysis of the survey outcome.

Things to be done :

1) The minutes of meeting.

2) Survey Outcome analysis completion.

49
Minutes of Meeting 9
Date : 31/ 07/ 2017

Location : UPTEN

Duration : 8.00pm 9.30pm

Prepared by : Jonathan Johnny Rajatin

Attendance :

1. Jonathan Johnny Rajatin ME096135

2. Jevarajan Ganesan ME095441
3. Vasanthan Rao a/l Chandra ME093458
4. Ahmad Naim Bin Ahmad Nazri ME096943
5. Faisal Ariff Bin Fadli ME091044

Topic Discussed :

1) The progress so far for the project report were reviewed.

The survey outcome has been analyzed completely
The case studies were 80% complete and reviewed.
The completion of the discussion will be commenced by Jevarajan and Vasanthan.

Things to be done :

1) The minutes of meeting.

2) Completion of the discussion.
3) Completion of case studies.

50
Minutes of Meeting 10
Date : 03/ 08/ 2017

Location : Library UNITEN

Duration : 8.00pm 10.00pm

Prepared by : Jonathan Johnny Rajatin

Attendance :

1. Jonathan Johnny Rajatin ME096135

2. Jevarajan Ganesan ME095441
3. Vasanthan Rao a/l Chandra ME093458
4. Ahmad Naim Bin Ahmad Nazri ME096943
5. Faisal Ariff Bin Fadli ME091044

Topic Discussed :

1) The completion of the project

The discussion was completed.
All of the findings were compiled and edited.
The presentation slides were done, edited and reviewed by all group members.
The task distribution on the presentation were divided.
Practice on the presentation were done.

Things to be done :

1) The minutes of meeting.

2) Completion of the group report

51
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