PHL leads global eco-revolution vs air pollution

THE WORLD Bank reported that 5,000 premature deaths in NCR can be attributed to the poor quality of air in the region. Indeed, the world-renowned Manila traffic poses a more serious threat than just testing everyone’s patience.

One of the most harmful air pollutants is nitrogen oxide (NOx) produced by the combustion of fossil fuels such as in automobile engines. Though the body can tolerate a minimal amount of NOx, the sheer number of vehicles passing through our major thoroughfares like EDSA often makes NOx readings exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of 40 micrograms per cubic meter. In EDSA, for instance, NOx levels in EDSA can reach up 300 on certain days, according to Johnson Ongking, Vice-President of Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines, Inc.

During the recently held “SOLB!: A Sustainable Solutions Fair” organized by Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), Mr. Ongking raised the alarming issue of air pollution and presented one of its solutions — an innovative product that can make almost every surface into an air purifier.

“The best way to address pollution obviously is to not produce pollution in the first place. If we can commit to pollution-free transport: walk or bike or take the MRT, that’s the best solution. But unfortunately this is what Metro Manila looks like on most days — hazy. Most of us have to travel through motor vehicles going to work so most of us are part of the problem,” he said.

Boysen worked with Cristal, a leading company in ultra-fine titanium dioxide technology. This photocatalytic technology — utilized primarily to reduce pollutants produced by coal power plants — uses the sunlight to breakdown NOx into harmless substances.

He said: “What we thought about is what if we put air purifiers along our major roads? We said how about we use that base technology and put that in a paint so that we could take out the NOx that still goes out in the air. This is how Boysen KNOxOUT came to be.”

Through this paint, the Guadalupe MRT station in Makati City was transformed into a gigantic air purifier, the world’s largest paint trial at that time. But it did not stop there. Unknown to many, the mural paintings adorning many 1000-square meter walls along EDSA are in fact air purifiers which not only help reduce the risk of people getting sick but also provide commuters and pedestrians a visual treat.

“Project EDSA, in short for ‘Everyone Deserves Safe Air’ is the first street art project in the world with air cleaning component,” Mr. Ongking said.