Atmospheric air

Up to the early 1990, monitoring of air quality in Georgia was on regular basis, but the follow-up economic crisis has played a negative role in environmental monitoring system. It is necessary to renew the appropriate measurement sites since the bad ambient air quality causes premature death among thousands of people, and the hazardous substances affect human health, particularly with cardiac, respiratory diseases, aggravation of asthmatic, emphysema and bronchial symptoms.

The category of the people that brings the smallest share to the air pollution (children, elderly and patients) is especially feel effects of pollution.

According to modern data the emission sources are:

Transport

Industry

Personal heating

Forest belt reduction

Emissions of CFC

Air emissions in Georgia (1000 tons).

The indexes given are the estimated total amounts of CO, NO_X, SO₂ and particulate pollutants, based on fuel sales.

Now, the total air pollution index by automobiles and air transport in Georgia makes about 95 %.

Emissions of CO2 from different consumers

Per capita from airplane 0.13-0.25 kg. CO2 Per capita from transport 0.03-0.06 kg. CO2 Per capita from motorcar 0.10-0.30 kg. CO2 1 ha of forest absorption 10 000 kg. CO2 /y.

Following the decay of the Soviet Union, Georgia has faced changes in transport policy. If earlier, the main traffic artery particularly directed to "North - South", now the orientation transferred to Europe and Asia i.e. " West-East "

Emissions or greenhouse gases are in following: ethane (C₂H₆), nitric oxide (NO₂), chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), hexaflouride acid, and of course in carbolic acid (CO₂).

Among the air toxic pollutants are СО₂ (60 %) carbon dioxide - product because of fuel burning and СО (carbon monoxide) allocated after incomplete fuel burning.

Geographically, Georgia is a natural transit area between Europe and Central Asia. The aim of Government of Georgia is to revive its historically known status – the Silk Route, and the project for a Europe-Caucasus-Central Asia transport and communications corridor (TRACECA).

With increase of transportation of goods, the quantity of the consumed fuel is increased. In result, the quantity of air emissions is also increased.

After reconstruction of a transport highway, the transportation of goods per transport unit will make approximately 12-16-mln tones, and this figure will increase until 80-90- mln tones. It is clearly, that TRACECA becomes the main source of emissions which will amount to 20 000 - 30 000 tones (by transportation one million tones of goods), and by 2010, exhaustions increase up to 12 000-14 000 tones.

Approximately 500 000 vehicles are officially registered in Georgia. Most of these are between 10-15 years with exhaust emissions exceeding permitted levels. The majorities have no catalytic converters.

Fuel consumption from cars is about 11.2 liters per 100 km, trucks-30 liters that increased 2-3 times from developing countries.

As it was marked, the basic source of emissions in Georgia is transport. Air transport emissions in 1999 year amounted to 29% (i.e. identified with data of 1988), and from motor vehicles - 119%. The increase of emissions in the country promotes containing zinc and low octane number fuel, which is imported from Romania, Turkmenistan, Greece, Russia, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan.

In 1995-1996 reduced the import of zinc-containing fuel, which probably is the result of accepted decision of ban on realization of zinc- containing fuel in the World Congress.

The Law on import and realization of leaded fuel has banned in Georgia since January 1, 2001.

The national fuel monitoring system currently in force in Georgia based not only on Euro and World Standards, but also on the standards of former Soviet Union. Even in functioning laboratories, testing is rarely conducted because of lack of modern equipment and because of requirements for testing is not being enforced.

The low quality of roads and low-grade fuel in Georgia tends to increase hazardous emissions.

Industry

The industry, after transport, is significant source of environmental pollution. When the Georgian economy was in full production, industry accounted for about 30% of air pollution. Due to economy in decline, this figure has fallen to 5%.

43.6% of industrial emissions are from Kartli region, namely from Rustavi (“RustavCement”, a/c “Nitrogen” etc) and Gardabani Thermal Station. 40.3% - from Ajaria, especially the oil refinery territory at Batumi

Thus, the total figure of environmental pollution from these two regions account to 83.9 %, and only 16.1 % - from ferroalloy plant at Zugdidi, glass-manufacturing plant at Ksani and from other industrial plants of different scales.

Ways of individual space heating.

The low economic state has considerably affected on numerous vital structures. Disruption of the central heating systems and power shortages have led to the widespread use of private generators and space heaters. Kerosene and liquid gas are the most commonly used for fuel.

It should mentioned that space heaters hot only diminish air quality affecting health but are also dangerous because of the risk of fire and serious material damage when not handled carefully.

Asbestos was commonly used in construction for thermal isolation last years. Consequently, the interest centers in an asbestos chemistry and its health effects. Illogically use of asbestos increases risk of cancer because of its heavy carcinogencity.

Reduction of forest belt.

As we know, forests are one of the important sources clearing air from carbon dioxide -СО₂ and give oxygen - О₂. During the Soviet Union, the majority of Georgia’s forests were classified as protected, and the timber, basically, had been delivered from Russia. Nevertheless, illegal harvesting takes place which largely out of the control of the Forestry Department that will be the cause of forest devastation.

Almost 2.75 mil ha, 38% of Georgia is forested. The total forest reserve amounts to 434-mil m³, with annual increase of about 4-mil m³.

With reduction of electric power in Georgia, the wood consumption has increased as firewood in the winter seasons. In addition, away from the law, the woods are cut and exported.

Summery characteristics of greenhouse gases emitted in Georgia.