Assessment of health-cost externalities of air pollution caused by transit ship traffic in Istanbul

Abstract

Air pollution has become a leading environmental concern as a result of rapid urbanization in recent decades. The pollutants of most concern relating to the burning of fossil fuels include sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NO2) carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the contribution of transit marine traffic through the Bosphorus (Istanbul Strait) on the air quality of Istanbul. Atmospheric emissions originating from ships passing through the Bosphorus were computed and the EPA-approved CALPUFF atmospheric dispersion modelling computer program was used to estimate the air pollutant concentration distributions resulting from maritime traffic. The corresponding health impacts and related health costs due to emissions from maritime traffic are estimated using the EVA (Economic Valuation of Air pollution) methodology. The results show that, ship emissions have major effect on the overall air quality. Along the Bosphorus strait, the yearly average impact due to ship emissions is upto 60 % of the SO2 Turkish air quality standard, nearly 35 % of the NO2 Turkish air quality standard and approximately 2.5 % of the PM10 Turkish air quality standard. The corresponding health impacts expressed in morbidity and premature mortality estimates as significant. It is estimated the transit maritime traffic through the Bosphorus is causing about 2,540,000 adverse health incidents, the vast majority are asthma. More severe morbidity impacts include 47 cases of lung cancer and 116 cases of congestive heart failure. The model also estimates 69 cases of acute death and 2255 of YOLL (years of life lost). The total associated health-related costs are estimated to be 83.3 million euros. Given the proximity of large populations to the Bosphorus strait and the large volume of maritime traffic that passes thorugh it, there is a need to impose stricter standards on ship stack emissions.