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ABSTRACT
With the world’s worsening air quality, several efforts have been made by various countries in order to reduce air pollution. However, end-of-pipe treatments only transform the air pollutants to other form and does not really prevents its occurrence. One of the possible solutions for air quality problems is the use of a cleaner fuel such as biodiesel, which is a renewable diesel substitute and can be produced from oil-bearing crops. In the Philippines, Coconut Methyl Ester or CME has been introduced recently to the public. CME, which is a product of the trans-esterification of coconut oil with Methanol, is used in 1-2% blend with 99-98% diesel. The Government’s aim does not only include the possible solution to energy crisis but also to reduce the air pollution problem in the country, particularly in Manila. There are three major sources of air pollution in the Philippines, which includes emissions from mobile, stationary and area sources. In 1992, the Vehicular Emission Control Planning in Metro Manila study of EMB revealed that motor vehicles were the most significant contributors of air pollution in the city as well as in the country. One of the factors that cause vehicles to emit pollutants is fuel quality. This is the great advantage of CME when used as a fuel additive in petroleum diesel, and since it is a renewable fuel, there is a lesser environmental impact in its production and use. This study focuses on the Philippine’s effort in introducing CME to the public users and the emissions reduction upon its use in automotive transport.
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