Motor vehicle Exhaust FumesHypocritical Local Councils shit doesn't stick!
Smoke-free playgrounds? Liverpool council has lost its way if it doesn't ban exhaust fumes from vehicle smoke that is far more dangerous and harmful than tobacco smoke.
Liverpool City Councils allegation that it is taking the lead in a fight against exposure to environmental tobacco smoke by passing a motion to create smoke-free playgrounds is pandering to the multinationals whose exhaust fume emissions are killing us, not just the motor vehicle type emissions on land and in and around the parks like Centennial Park, but in the air from planes and on the water from boats.
Year Book Australia 2003 Transport Special Article - Environmental impacts of Australia's transport system.
Energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by transport
Transport uses a large amount of energy, with some 970 petajoules (PJ) (a petajoule is 1015 joules) used in 1994-95. The key transport energy users are household passenger vehicles (525.3 PJ), air transport (162.7 PJ), commercial road transport (125.7 PJ) and water transport (62.2 PJ) (ABS 2001a). The energy used and emissions caused by the consumption of almost 25,000 million litres of fuel by motor vehicles in 2000 are considerable.
The Cancer Council NSW congratulated Liverpool City Council for taking the lead in the fight against exposure to environmental tobacco smoke by passing a motion to create smoke-free playgrounds.
"We are thrilled with Liverpool Council's progressive move and congratulate them for taking such a strong lead to protect the community against the harmful effects of second-hand smoke," said Dr Andrew Penman, CEO of The Cancer Council NSW.
We have been working closely with various local councils to encourage them to enforce a ban on smoking within 10 metres of a playground or sporting fields, and a ban on smoking at Council events, and it is very encouraging to see Liverpool Council not afraid to move forward."
But that's a contradiction within itself the fact is the community is smothered by exhaust fumes not passive cigarette smoke. What have they done to ban motor vehicle emissions 10 metres of a playground or sporting field or at Council events?
LEAD SAFETYTOOL KIT for COUNCILS
Walk through the city and you choke on smoke from vehicle emissions. You cannot ban and fine people for smoking a cigarette when they are choked out of existence on diesel and petrol. This is totally hypocritical that banning and fining people for smoking not farting in a park opposed to the motor vehicle emissions, the community puts up with ever single minute of every single day, whether you're in a park, crossing the road or walking around Sydney's foreshores.
Like it's safe to take children into a shopping mall car park as long as you don't smoke? Talk about lost the plot. These people want money? They want to fine you? Not for the worst crime of the century but for the least crime of the century. Next it'll be farting and methane?
FACTS ON FART EMISSIONS
Last month, Hawkesbury Council was the first local council in NSW to pass the motion and is in the process of constructing signage to implement the ban.
"Western Sydney has higher smoking rates than most of Sydney so the ban will have an enormous impact on the community of Liverpool. [?]
"Liverpool also has a very high youth population - many who suffer from asthma - and it is wonderful that they will be free to play in a smoke-free zone and able to escape the 4,000 different chemical substances contained in second-hand smoke," said Dr Penman.
"Children are particularly vulnerable to second-hand smoke because their lungs and body weight are small, so the dangerous substances in smoke are more harmful. And of course children are not always able to move away from other people's smoke, as adults are able to do."
[What about motor vehicle smoke then? How do they move away from that contradiction Dr?]
How many different chemical substances contained in second-hand motor vehicle emissions Dr Penman? Are children particularly vulnerable to second-hand emissions because their lungs and body weight are small?
So dangerous substances in emissions are even more harmful aren't they Dr Penman. Question is, where is the report? What is being done? What ideas do you have? What stops it? Where do we go from here? Furthermore, where are the signs banning motor vehicles?
Types of transport emissions
Most transport emissions are CO2, with small amounts of nitrous oxide and methane (table S23.4). Nitrous oxide emissions have doubled in proportion to other gases, from 2.7% of transport emissions in 1990 to 5.4% in 2000.
This has been attributed to the increase in vehicles with catalytic converters and other pollution prevention technology. Three-way catalytic converters reduce emissions, but produce 12% more methane and 154% more nitrous oxide per kilometre than cars with two-way converters or those without pollution control devices.
Catalytic converters have been fitted to new cars since 1987, and aim to reduce the contribution of car emissions to air pollution (AGO 2002). For more detail on the environmental impact of emissions, see Environment.
By High Octane 16 September 03
THE CHICKEN: The Cancer Council NSW is part of a taskforce of health organisations committed to a four-year statewide campaign to reduce the effects of environmental tobacco smoke on young children.
THE EGG: But in reality this is capitalism protecting the real killers that fail to reduce the effects of environmental vehicle emissions on young children. And money grabbing councils willing to cop the proceeds from fining the community to enhance their profits at any cost.
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