Transportation and Air Pollution in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria

Etuki E Egbonyi ,Remi Modupe Omoogun ,Enézia Ivi

doi:10.7176/jetp/9-6-03

Abstract

This study analyzed transportation and air pollution in Calabar metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria. Two research questions were formulated to examine the contribution of vehicle status and maintenance to air pollution in Calabar metropolis. The ex-post facto research design was adopted. The study population was the number of registered vehicle owners in 2018 which was put at 1,860. While the study sample was 186 which represents 10% of the total population. A questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents about their vehicle status and maintenance culture and their contributions to the production of air pollutants. Data collected was analyzed using mean rating with a mean cut off point of 2.5 for positive responses. The finding revealed a polled mean of 2.56 for the first cluster which indicated a low status of vehicle for transportation and a pooled mean of 2.74 for the second cluster which indicated poor vehicle maintenance culture. It was therefore concluded that transporters in Calabar metropolis have low status of vehicle and poor vehicle maintenance culture and these contribute to emission of air pollutants in Calabar metropolis. It was therefore recommended that good standard (status) of vehicles should be used for transportation. Transporters in Calabar metropolis should be advised by relevant authorities to practice good vehicle maintenance culture in order to reduce the emission of air pollutants that contributes to air pollution. Keywords : Transportation, Air Pollution, Vehicle Status, and Vehicle Maintenance Culture DOI : 10.7176/JETP/9-6-03 Publication date : August 31 st 2019

Highlights

Transportation involves the movement of people and goods from one place to another
From the analysis of data presented in table 1, the distribution of scores shows that the status of vehicles in Calabar metropolis contribute to air pollution
Result of research question one revealed that transporters in Calabar metropolis have low status of vehicle which contribute to emission of air pollutants

Summary

Introduction

Transportation involves the movement of people and goods from one place to another. There are different kinds of transportation. The primary pollutants according to Botkin and Keller (2012) are emitted directly in to the air They include particulates, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, www.iiste.org nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons, while the secondary pollutants are produced by reactions between primary pollutants and normal atmospheric compounds example ozone forms over urban areas and through reactions of primary pollutants, sunlight and natural atmospheric gases. According to Abam (2004) automobile exhaust emits carbon, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen; formaldehyde and hydrocarbon while fuel or petroleum additives include lead, beryllium, baron and manganese These pollutants cause lead poisoning, respiratory disorders, toxicity, blood poisoning, irritation to eyes, and skin and other carcino-genic effects. That the transportation sector contributes heavily to air pollution because most forms of transportation including cars, planes and ocean vessels uses fossil fuels, which when burned releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the environment and are harmful to human health. The population of the study is the total number of registered commercial vehicles owners in Calabar metropolis which was given as one thousand eight hundred and sixty vehicles (1,860).

Sampling technique

I always carry passengers in my vehicle N 50 48 45 43 186

Findings

Conclusion