In compliance with the Clean Air Act and in furtherance of the Air Quality Management in the Port of Cagayan de Oro, the Port Management Office of Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro acquired on 22 January 2020 one unit Diesel Opacity Smoke Meter and one unit Automatic Gas Analyzer machines that measure the amount of smoke coming from a diesel-powered vehicle, and exhaust emission gas from gasoline-powered vehicles, respectively.

Both machines are portable and can provide real-time measurements. Reading results are printed automatically. The Diesel Opacity Smoke Meter has also the capacity to measure a vehicle’s peak RPM (revolutions per minute) and the oil-temperature. On the other hand, the Automatic Gas Analyzer measures the following: Carbon Monoxide (CO), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Fuel Dependent Hydro Carbons (HC), Oxygen (O2) and Nitric Oxide (NOx). Calibration of the machines is compliant to the standards set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Representatives of the service provider, the BP Integrated Technologies, Inc. conducted a demonstration on how to operate the machines, how to maintain/clean its parts, among others, before the representatives of the Port Police Division, Port Services Division, Administrative Division, Finance Division and the Office of the Port Manager. The machines were then used on actual vehicles for the practical demonstration.

The PMO’s Environmental Specialist, Ms. Core D. Suan informed that car exhausts emit gases that can harm the environment and human health. Thus, she remarked that is imperative for the PMO to comply with the standards of the National Air Quality for these gases.— by IMR Lam