AIR POLLUTION –is it Safe to breathe?
Power Generation Company of
Trinidad and Tobago
Wrightson Road Port of Spain
This picture shows a
clean, well kept company located in the city of Port of Spain. This is the
Power Generation Company of Trinidad and Tobago (PowerGen) bounded by Park
Street, Wrightson Road, Flament Street and Colville Street. At PowerGen, the
main function is to generate power for supply in bulk to T&TEC. PowerGen
owns and operates the country’s three main power plants. At the Port of Spain power
plant there is an installed capacity of 308 megawatts of power. The generating
units there can operate either by oil or the firing of natural gas. PowerGen is
committed to supplying energy in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
Their goal is sensitivity to our environment
In Trinidad, the primary
energy source is natural gas fuel. PowerGen fires natural gas to heat energy to
produce steam. The steam turns a steam turbine that is linked to an electricity
generator which produces electricity. During this steam cycle, visible white
puffs of water vapour can be seen towering through the tall chambers into the
atmosphere. PowerGen also burns natural gas directly in a gas turbine in the
process of producing electricity.
Even though PowerGen
adheres to environmental laws of the country, there are environmental concerns
associated with power plants that burn natural gas to produce electricity.
Natural gas contains mainly methane which is a greenhouse gas. Power plants
that uses natural gas fired generation emit methane, nitrogen oxides and carbon
dioxides into the air. These greenhouse gases trap radiation contributing to
global warming and climate change. Our country carbon dioxide emission is rated
amongst the highest in the world because of the oil and gas production. At Port
of Spain power plant the emission rate of methane and carbon dioxide can be
high considering there is an ongoing release of steam and burning of natural
gas in a continuous “round-d-clock” routine. Can you imagine the high level of
emissions that are generated by this power plant on a daily basis? No wonder
there is little statistical reports or documentations concerning any form of
pollution from PowerGen!
The PowerGen Company is
a form of air pollution in the city of Port of Spain. It's emissions depletes the
air quality of the city and poses a health risk to urban dwellers. However, as
urbanization increases along with rapid population growth, the PowerGen Company
would have to generate more power to fuel these processes and further degrades
the quality of the air. Poor air quality in cities is linked to a number of
health problems among urban populations, including respiratory diseases and
lung cancer (Hall and Barrett 2012: 290). This creates a distinctive aspect of
Human Geography the social problems associated with urban air pollution. Urban
air pollution is concentrated in high traffic, transport routes and industrial
areas within the inner city. The social problem arise since the harmful impacts
of air pollution are experienced in these areas which are mostly occupied by
the lower income groups in society (Hodge and Stutz1995). The upper and middle
classes in society who are able to afford affluent homes and luxurious lifestyles
tend to reside in the suburbs. They are also the ones who can afford cars and
public transportation in commuting back and forth to the city center. As such,
the middle and upper class groups are able to shield themselves from the
impacts of air pollution. Only the poor and needy who come to the inner city
seeking refuge and hoping for a better life are the ones at risk.
Therefore, we citizens
should take a stand for reducing air pollution in cites and adapt
environmentally friendly methods to protect our air quality.
For more information further reading can be done:
- Over the past years, there has been rapid population growth has increased in urban areas. This study investigates the effects of air pollution in the central city and the spatial distribution of the population between the city center and the suburbs. The hypothesis states that the levels of air pollution in the city has a depressing effect on the population. Hence, greater proportions of the population resides outsides the city center to escape the effects of air pollution.
- Exposure to air pollution can have adverse effects on the pulmonary and cardiovascular system of the the body. Polluted air contains mixtures of chemicals, particulate matter and biological material that cause harm to our body. Air pollution triggers diseases associated with the Central Nervous System such as Parkinson's disease and neurodevelopmental disorders.
- http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jt/2012/782462/
Hall, Tim. and Heather Barrett. (2012). Urban Geography 4th edition.
London and New York: Routledge
The Power Generation Company of Trinidad and Tobago.
(2013). About Us. Accessed March 5, 2014. http://www.powergen.co.tt/AboutUs.aspx
The Power Generation Company of Trinidad and Tobago.
(2013). Health, Safety and Environment. Accessed March 5, 2014 http://www.powergen.co.tt/People/HealthSafetyandEnvironment.aspx
U.S Environmental Protection Agency.(2013). Clean
Energy. Accessed March 5, 2014 http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/affect/natural-gas.html
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