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Invaluable clean air www.mongolia.gogo.mn
It has been officially acknowledged that air pollution in Ulaanbaatar has reached disaster levels. Some were under the impression that the level of toxins decreased, but on the contrary, wintertime pollution in the capital is suffocating is citizens now more than ever.
The public has united in the fight against air pollution for the first time, as the people realise that our right to live in a healthy and safe environment is being violated. Authorities have taken the issue into account and have made some decisive moves.
The Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism in cooperation with the Ulaanbaatar City Mayor's Office organised a technology exhibition named "Your involvement in reducing air pollution" at the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the 9th-10th of Jan in relation to this winter's hottest topic.
More than 50 enterprises participated in this exhibition and a variety of products were showcased, starting from equipment that reduces vehicle fuel consumption and gas emissions, to traditional water heaters, electric floor heaters, briquette, exhaust filters, Mongolian ger heating curtain and gas heaters.
At this crowded exhibition, a piece of technology that does not use solid fuel and is affordable for the average family caught my eye. Coal in small green sacks sold for MNT 3,000 is the main contributor to Ulaanbaatar's air pollution; hence, if air pollution is related to poverty, can be solved using technology?
Almost 40 companies that participated in the exhibition were offering electric heating. A common heater which does not require additional costs other than purchase and installation costs around MNT 600,000 and can fully heat a five-walled ger regardless of gas or electricity utilisation.
Floor heaters cost approximately MNT 60,000 per square metre. In addition to that, some additional costs will be incurred in choosing the right flooring materials and installation. It would cost MNT 2.3 million for an exhaust filter that neutralises toxic substances in smoke if you decide not to change out a traditional fire stove.
The salesmen said monthly electricity costs of a household becomes MNT 50-60,000 at the minimum depending on the type of electric heater. The monthly costs for gas heating are also about the same. Although the cost is lower than MNT 3,000 per day for coal, how much electricity you use or gas you purchase depends on the amount heat loss from your home. The above numbers are estimates that calculated heat loss at a minimum.
The reality is that people without the financial means to purchase 1.5 tonnes of coal for MNT 150,000 are purchasing small sacks of coal in order to have some money left to buy food. There are those who cannot even buy coal by the small sacks and turn to burning tyres, sacks and old jeans.
The majority of the people who came to the exhibition were interested in heating solutions for summer camps, garages, cellars and small storage units. The best-selling product here was oil that reduces vehicle fuel consumption.
Since the population of the capital has already reached 1.3 million, limiting rural-to- urban migration and subsidising night time electricity tariffs is not likely to be a full solution. Even though the "Khas" and "Ulzii" stoves which were provided to ger district residents showed no visible results, policies and programmes to supply technology that can replace ger district homes’ exhaust pipes are required.
Published Date:2017-01-26
