Most African countries are yet to adopt the euro 4 standards, which were required in Europe in 2006. High sulfur levels in diesel are anoter reason for the poor airquality in many african megacities.
Low-quality, fuels categorised as illegal waste are exported to Africa. In addition a lack of refineries, cleaner diesel is considered too expensive by some governments. The majority of African countries use fuel with sulfur levels of 2 500 to 10 000 ppm (parts per million). Combustion of highly sulfurous fuels results in emissions of sulfur dioxide, a major air pollutant.
Research indicates that of the 4.2 million annual global chronic respiratory diseases, nearly 3.3 million occur in low- or middle-income countries. This includes cardiovascular and respiratory disease such as stroke and asthma, as well as increased risk of cancer.
