Developing an air quality plan for the Thames 

Posted on October 3, 2017 by Respro® UK Ltd

This summer, the Port of London Authority announced new research to develop an air quality strategy for the Thames. The project, part of the Thames Vision programme, will look into shore-side power, emissions monitoring and creating the first port-wide air inventory for the river.

The River Thames is central to London’s identity and development as a capital city, contributing every day in trade, jobs, tourism and transportation. Since 2015, the Port of London Authority (PLA) has been working with stakeholders to develop the Thames Vision programme, which lays out a 20-year view of the river’s future at the heart of a growing city.

The latest announcement, made in June, saw PLA teaming up with the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) to develop an air quality strategy aimed at increasing the green credentials of the river’s traffic.

The project involves three separate research streams: a look into the implementation of shore-side power, which allows ships to turn off their engines and plug into an electrical grid while at berth; comparable journey emissions monitoring; and a first-of-its-kind air inventory for the Thames.

“This research is on an unprecedented scale for the UK,” said PLA chief executive Robin Mortimer. “Individually the techniques are tried and tested, but we are bringing them together to create a detailed picture of vessel emissions on the Thames. This will give us the data we need to develop the first air quality strategy for the river.”

The first air inventory for the Thames

The PLA is tasked with ensuring navigational safety along the 95 miles of the tidal Thames, as well as protecting its unique marine environment.

The new air quality plan is being developed in collaboration with operators Cory Riverside Energy, Thames Shipping and MBNA Thames Clippers, as well as energy management firm Schneider Electric and environmental consultant Aether.

The first research project looked into the possibility to develop shore-side power at specific sites along the river.

Shore-side electricity (SSE), also known as “cold-ironing”, allows ships to turn off their engines and plug into an electrical grid while at berth. Currently only deployed in around 10 ports worldwide, it has the potential to reduce pollutants by about 90% and greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, according to research by the European Commission.

Renewable energy consultant Ecofys found that SSE offers the potential to mitigate 800,000t of CO2 emissions if all seagoing and inland ships in European harbours would use SSE by 2020, but the total CO2 emission reduction depends on how the electricity used is produced onshore. Furthermore, all of the noise produced by a ship would also be eliminated by using a shore connection system, and the technology is fully compliant with MARPOL 6 regulations.

To investigate this, PLA partnered with Schneider Electric, which currently has over 30 shore power installations worldwide, including in ports in California and the new Kalibaru Container Terminal in Jakarta.

“Shore-side electricity allows ships to turn off their engines and plug into an electrical grid while at berth.”

This is not the first time SSE was considered for London. Campaigners opposing the proposed Enderby Wharf cruise terminal in Greenwich argued that on-shore power could help prevent pollution from cruise ships that would otherwise run their engines 24 hours a day in a densely populated area. The idea was since repeatedly dismissed by Greenwich Council as expensive and impractical.

The second project focuses on comparable journey emissions monitoring, which will gather data on regular river-borne journeys of both passengers and cargo and contrast it with the number of vehicles used and routes needed to make the same journey through London’s road network.

According to partner company Aether, the inventory will be based on previous work undertaken in the Netherlands, including at Europe’s largest port in Rotterdam, which uses real-time ship and boat movements to build up a complex emissions profile.

“This will allow the development of a realistic baseline for London river traffic emissions, the exploration of mitigation options and will feed into the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory,” Aether said in a May press release.

At the moment, there is no available data to evaluate the emissions from inland vessels and their impact on London’s worsening air quality problem.

Research by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that London is breaking legal and World Health Organization (WHO) limits for NO2, and WHO limits for particulate matter. Most air pollution in London is caused by road transport, of which diesel vehicles are the most polluting.

The three research projects are due to be completed in the early autumn and the full strategy is expected to be published before the end of the year.

Conservation of the river in years to come

The air quality announcement comes six months after the PLA introduced the UK’s first port charges discount for cleaner cargo ships at the start of this year, a move much celebrated across the industry. The discount is available for ships that exceed international emissions standards set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in a scoring scheme run by the World Ports Climate Initiative.

According to the PLA, the discount is “suitably high that significant improvements need to be made in order to achieve it”, and bears similarities with similar initiatives taken at other European ports.

More recently, the UK Government’s Department for Transport committed £6m towards funding trials of innovative energy saving devices, such as new propellers, rotor sails and on-board waste heat recovery, in an attempt to achieve a “zero-emissions sector”.

The new measures come as climate change poses further challenges to protecting the Thames, including the high-priority flood risk areas throughout the Thames Estuary. The Environment Agency warned that there will need to be continuing investment in both hard and soft flood defences along the estuary in the years to come.

“The strategy sets out to improve water quality, reduce litter, protect and enhance biodiversity.”

It also comes at a time when the capital is growing in population, traffic and demand, with increased pressures on every transport network, including the river. Looking towards 2025, the PLA hopes to improve navigational access to the Port of London, double the number of people travelling by river up to 20 million commuter and tourist trips every year, and make more efficient use of piers and river space.

On the environmental and conservation side, the strategy sets out to improve water quality, reduce litter, protect and enhance biodiversity and “encourage the uptake of new and green technologies to reduce the port’s environmental impact”.

Currently, 92% of the PLA’s area is covered by environmental designations, but at the same time, up to 300t of rubbish is recovered from the Thames each year, with the amount of plastic bottles growing year on year.

Some of these issues, including pollution threats to the fish living in river waters, will be tackled by the Thames Tideway Tunnel, a 25km sewer tunnel that is hoped to protect the river from further pollution. According to its strategy, PLA hopes to build and bring the tunnel into operation by 2021.

“We anticipate more trade, more passenger journeys, more sport and recreation and more people wanting to enjoy the improved environment along the tidal river,” Mortimer said. “Our ambition is for this growth to be sustainable in the widest sense.”

Source: Developing an air quality plan for the Thames – Ship Technology

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Gurgaon India’s most polluted city on Sunday

Posted on October 2, 2017 by Respro® UK Ltd

Gurgaon was the most polluted city in the country on Sunday, with its Air Quality Index (AQI) touching the 274 mark (considered ‘poor’). In contrast, Delhi’s AQI was a ‘moderate’ 196.

PM2.5 levels were reported between 112.78 to 118.90 micrograms per cubic metre (g/m³) in Gurgaon on Sunday, while it was between 99.08 to 109.76 g/m³ on Saturday.

According to Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) officials, a decline in wind speed and the burning of crackers during Dussehra celebrations led to an increase in the air pollution levels. “As the wind speed is declining, it is difficult for the dust particles to disperse, and they remain trapped in the lower atmosphere. It leads to a rise in the level of particulate matter. Also, firecrackers and effigy burning on Dussehra also had an impact,” said a senior HSPCB official.

Experts blamed effigy burning on Dussehra, coupled with stubble burning by farmers, for the increase. “Despite Sunday being a non-working day, the city reported the highest levels of air pollution in the country. It is evident that vehicular pollution is not the only source of air pollution in the city. It is clearly a result of Dussehra celebrations. Also, stubble burning is a major contributing factor,” said Niranjan Raje, former member of Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA).

Activists, on the other hand, held the non-compliance of construction norms responsible. “Despite tall claims, the authorities have failed to implement NGT’s directions at construction sites, both private and public. There is massive air pollution in front of the MCG office itself due to construction activities,” said Vivek Kamboj, a city-based environmentalist.

Source: Gurgaon India’s most polluted city on Sunday | Gurgaon News – Times of India

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Air pollution: Sadiq Khan calls for ban on wood-burning stoves 

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Respro® UK Ltd

London mayor cites figures showing that the home stoves, used in 16% of households, produce up to a third of all the capital’s fine-particle pollution

Wood-burning stoves could be banned in some areas to combat air pollution under proposals by the London mayor, Sadiq Khan.

Khan has written to Michael Gove, the environment secretary, to request extra powers to improve air quality in the capital, including measures to tackle solid-fuel burning and construction pollution. The proposed measures include minimum emissions standards for vessels on London’s waterways and heavy construction machinery like diggers and bulldozers.

Wood-burning stoves, which would be banned under the proposals for urban areas with poor air quality, are increasingly popular – 1.5m have been sold across Britain. They are most popular in south-east England, where 16% of households have them, compared with 5% nationally.

Khan said: “Non-transport sources contribute half of the deadly emissions in London, so we need a hard-hitting plan of action to combat them similar to moves I am taking to reduce pollution from road vehicles.

“With more than 400 schools located in areas exceeding legal pollution levels, and such significant health impacts on our most vulnerable communities, we cannot wait any longer, and I am calling on government to provide the capital with the necessary powers to effectively tackle harmful emissions from a variety of sources.”

The mayor has asked the environment department to amend the Clean Air Act to allow for the creation of zero-emission zones where the burning of solid fuel is not allowed from 2025 onwards.

When asked to comment on Khan’s letter, a Defra spokesperson told the Guardian: “We are determined to improve air quality and have put in place a £3bn plan to reduce roadside emissions.

“Next year we will publish a comprehensive Clean Air Strategy which will address all sources of air pollution. We are also raising consumer awareness about the impact of burning wood on health and working with industry to help reduce harmful emissions.”

The mayor’s proposals come after he triggered London’s emergency air quality alert on Wednesday for the seventh time in thirteen months. Polluted air from the continent combined with toxic air in London to create dangerous levels of pollution.

Source: Air pollution: Sadiq Khan calls for ban on wood-burning stoves | Environment | The Guardian

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Brace for air pollution in Delhi as crop burning starts in neighbouring states

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Respro® UK Ltd

Agricultural stubble running into millions of tonnes is burnt by farmers in northern India every October. An estimated 35 million tonnes are set afire in Punjab and Haryana alone.

Winter’s coming, and Delhi’s annual nightmare is already taking shape beyond its borders.

Over a dozen cases of crop burning were reported from Haryana till Wednesday, and officials fear the number will rise drastically in the coming days. This, in turn, would trigger heavy pollution in the national capital region.

“We came across 14 confirmed cases of crop burning since September 22. While 12 cases occurred in Karnal on Wednesday, one instance each was reported from Panipat and Kaithal earlier,” said S Narayanan, member secretary of Haryana Pollution Control Board. Teams are sent to verify crop burning incidents as soon as fires show up on satellite images, he said.

Agricultural stubble running into millions of tonnes is burnt by farmers in northern India every October, before the onset of winter. An estimated 35 million tonnes are set afire in Punjab and Haryana alone to make room for the winter crop.

Experts say stubble burning accounts for anywhere between 12% and 60% of Delhi’s air pollution. The primary reasons behind farmers setting crop residue afire are cost concerns and the short time gap between summer and winter crops, besides lack of incentives and equipment to manually cut down the stubble.

Although the National Green Tribunal banned the practice in 2015, implementing the order has turned out to be a difficult task.

Even preventive exercises by various agencies, such as the Environment Pollution [Prevention and Control] Authority (EPCA), have come to naught.

The Haryana PCB launched satellite monitoring activities to detect crop-burning cases with the aid of the Haryana Space Applications Centre on September 22, and is believed to have already collected penalties amounting to Rs 5,000 from offending farmers.

Punjab PCB officials, for their part, have written to the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre to launch satellite monitoring from October 1. “No such incident has come to our notice yet. Crop burning is expected to start from the first week of October,” said a senior official with the board.

Meanwhile, red dots have already begun appearing on Nasa’s FIRM web fire mapper, which uses satellite imagery to identify fires on the ground. Officials in Punjab and Haryana, however, claimed that not all red dots imply crop-burning cases.

The EPCA is also pulling out all stops to ensure that the crop-burning situation does not go out of hand. “This year, we directed the pollution control boards of all NCR states to form patrol teams meant for visiting vulnerable areas and flagging violations,” said an agency member.

Though a recent National Thermal Power Corporation proposal to purchase agricultural residue from farmers had raised hopes of a less-polluted winter this year, authorities are doubtful if a business module can be developed in the few days that remain before crop-burning incidents start again.

In a desperate attempt, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh recently sought from the Centre a bonus of Rs 100 per quintal on paddy as an incentive to dissuade farmers from burning crop stubble. Sources said Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar is also taking a special interest in ending the practice.

Source: Brace for air pollution in Delhi as crop burning starts in neighbouring states | delhi news | Hindustan Times

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Sadiq Khan triggers alert for high air pollution in London

Posted on September 27, 2017 by Respro® UK Ltd

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has triggered the capital’s emergency air quality alert as polluted air from the continent combines with toxic air in London to create dangerous levels of pollution.

The alerts will see warnings displayed at bus stops, road signs and on the underground. Khan has also asked TV and radio stations across the capital to warn their viewers and listeners in news bulletins.

Anyone with lung or heart problems is advised to reduce strenuous exercise, especially outside. The young and elderly are particularly vulnerable.

Khan said: “The shocking and illegal state of London’s filthy air means once again I am triggering a high air pollution alert today under my new comprehensive alert system.”

The government’s committee on the medical effects of air pollutants advises adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart problems, to reduce strenuous physical exertion, particularly outdoors, and particularly if they experience symptoms. People with asthma may find they need to use their reliever inhaler more often. Older people should also reduce physical exertion.

Khan is implementing a range of measures to try to tackle the air pollution crisis in the capital, and he called on the government to do more.

“I am doing everything with the powers I have at City Hall and it’s now time for the government to step up by introducing a national diesel scrappage fund to rid our streets of dirty diesels, and to give me the powers I need to tackle non-transport sources of pollution.”

Responding to the news that the capital’s air quality emergency alert had been triggered, Prof Jonathan Grigg from Doctors Against Diesel said “dirty air is seriously damaging Londoners’ health and wellbeing.”

Grigg called on Khan to do more to tackle it. “Vulnerable people shouldn’t have to restrict their activities to stay safe,” he said. “Sadiq Khan must bring London’s air pollution down to legal levels as soon as possible, and commit to phase out diesel vehicles by 2025 to protect Londoners’ lungs.”

The government has come under increasing pressure over the UK’s air quality. It has suffered a string of humiliating defeats in the courts over its failure to clean up the nation’s air. Its latest proposal, released in July, was met with widespread criticism from clean air campaigners and regional politicians.

The latest episode of dangerously polluted air has been caused by mist, low cloud, fog and slow wind speed in London that has lead to a build up of pollution. This has combined with air arriving from the continent that has travelled slowly over industrial polluted areas giving it time to pick up emissions on the way. Experts say this is likely to produce high levels of PM2.5 and moderate levels of PM10 particulate pollution across areas of London and the south-east.

Source: Sadiq Khan triggers alert for high air pollution in London | Environment | The Guardian

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Fort McMurray fires cause air pollution spike on other side of continent 

Posted on September 27, 2017 by Respro® UK Ltd

Smoke from Alberta fire was so massive the plumes created their own environmental system

The huge wildfire in Fort McMurray last year caused air pollution to spike as far away as the New England states, more than 4,000 kilometres away, experts say.

“It was such a wide swath,” said Michael Geigert, air quality meteorologist with Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Geigert says he was surprised that normally clean air from Canada was carrying such high levels of ozone. It is a clear example, say scientists, of how air pollution from wildfires can be transported long distances.

Pollution levels spiked so much that seven U.S. states applied to the country’s federal Environmental Protection Agency for a special exemption for pollution levels that exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Geigert led the effort, making the case that airborne chemicals created by the Alberta fire created high levels of ozone on the eastern seaboard of the U.S.

“High pressure trapped pollutants from the wildfire over the upper Great Lakes for several days before normally clean northwest winds transported ‘unhealthy’ levels of ozone to the east and southeast across New York State and then to Connecticut,” the state wrote in its case to the EPA earlier this year.

The Fort McMurray fire forced the largest evacuation in Alberta’s history as it destroyed 590,000 hectares and 2,400 buildings. It was declared under control on July 5, 2016 but wasn’t fully extinguished until over a year later on August 2, 2017.

Geigert said the worst conditions were between May 25 and 28, 2016, when massive plumes of smoke billowed into the Alberta air. That smoke contained a toxic cocktail of chemicals that mixed with sunlight to create ozone.

“In this case, they were elevated almost to the stratosphere, well above 10,000 feet, 20,000 feet,” he said in an interview with CBC News.

“They created their own environment, almost thunderstorms, so they were transported high into the atmosphere.This allowed the plume to be transported very far away.”

Ozone becomes a dangerous air pollutant when it drops near the ground and mixes with heat. That happened in late May 2016 when the ozone drifted towards the northeastern U.S. states at the same time as summer temperatures soared. Ozone levels rose in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland and Ohio.

Air quality already poor

New England states already struggle with high levels of air pollution because air currents carry emissions from coal-burning power plants and industrial sources from states in the south and midwest. Geigert says the Fort McMurray fire tipped the air pollution levels in Connecticut into the danger zone.

“It was code red — eight-hour averages over 84 parts per billion, and that is considered unhealthy for the general population,” said Geigert.

“Very little is due to what Connecticut does. It’s due to all sources upwind,” he said. “And these forest fires, which no one has any control over, just exacerbate the situation.”

The air quality on the other side of Canada was also affected, according to Paul Makar, a senior research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.

“The pollutants will travel thousands of kilometres,” said Makar in an interview with CBC News.

“For the Fort McMurray fires, for that matter, we’ve seen on satellite data … the pollution going all the way from Alberta right through here where we are in Ontario, out over the Atlantic and on the way to Europe.”

Makar says the rise of ozone levels in Canada due to the fires was less drastic than in the U.S. because the baseline air pollution here was at a lower level.

Makar points out that wildfires can have a huge impact on local air quality, as they did in B.C. this past summer when wildfires combined to create the largest blaze in the province’s history.

And the increased ozone levels have made their way downwind, Makar says.

“You can certainly see the effect. What we are seeing from the summer, it is just as bad as the Fort Mac fire, or worse.

“This stuff kills people,” he said.

Environment Canada has set up a team to monitor wildfires and the effects of their emissions on air quality. The agency has also set up a website where Canadians can check “smoke forecast maps” that show how the air quality in their area may be affected by wildfire smoke.

The EPA ruled in July 2017 that the Connecticut wasn’t to blame for its spike in ozone.

Still, the Fort McMurray fire experience has made scientists in Connecticut a lot more wary about what might be drifting their way from Canada.

Geigert has been keeping an eye on the smoke from the B.C. fires. More than 100 wildfires are still burning there, although evacuation orders and alerts have been lifted.

Geigert says much cooler temperatures in New England have kept ozone levels low this year, but he’s still watching for warning signs.

“We have to realize this long-distance transport is really a factor and warn the public if we see it unfolding,” he said.

Source: Fort McMurray fires cause air pollution spike on other side of continent – Politics – CBC News

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Hadapsar, Navi peth, Mandai have the worst air quality in Pune 

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Respro® UK Ltd

Besides chemical pollutants, particulate matter is also above the standard level prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board.

In an alarming revelation, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s environment status report (ESR) 2016-17 claimed that Hadapsar has been recorded as one of the most polluted regions in the city followed by Navi peth.

PMC’s environment status report 2016-17 shows that air pollutants like Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Nitrogen Oxide (NO) and particulate matter were seen to have crossed the standard permissible limit set by the Central Pollution Control Board.

As per the data released by Pune Municipal Corporation, the areas where Nitrogen Oxide was found to have been above the average level includes Hadapsar, Navi peth and Mandai. The standard permissible limit for Nitrogen Oxide is said to be 40ug/m^3 (micrograms per cubic metre of air) while in Hadapsar area it is found to be 60ug/m^3.

Apart from this, Nitrogen Dioxide, too, is found to be above the standard permissible level in areas including Pashan, Lohegaon, Shivajinagar, Katraj and Hadapsar. This increase in Nitrogen Dioxide was recorded especially during the month of November.

According to the report, the other important factor which is above the standard average level is the dust particulate matter present in the air.

The report states that dust particles of up to 10 microns and 2.5 microns are found to be more in the air. The report added that even as their levels were found to be decreasing since 2011, they are still above the standard permissible level laid down by the Central Pollution Control Board.

The presence of Carbon Monoxide (CO) in the air was found to be below the standard value of 2ug/m^3 in the city. Yet in January and February this year its presence was more compared to last year. However, Carbon Monoxide was found mainly in areas like Shivajinagar, Hadapsar and Katraj.

Similar to Carbon Monoxide, the proportion of Sulphur oxides in the air is also said to be rising. Although, it is still found to be below the standard level laid down by the Central Pollution Control Board, the increasing number of vehicles is inturn increasing the levels of Sulphur-based pollutants in the air.

According to Dr Mahendra Kawedia of Jehangir hospital, the rise in air pollutants is affecting the health of citizens in various ways. He said, “Over the years, cases of bronchitis and asthama have been on the rise. With rising air pollution, people who are more susceptible to it start suffering from lung problems and sometimes these diseases become chronic.”

Dr Sanjay Gaikwad from Sassoon General Hospital, too, said that rising air pollution level is a serious concern as the percentage of airborne diseases is significantly growing in the city, thus putting the lives of the residents at risk.

Rising number of wheels worsen city health

With over 40 lakh vehicles registered in Pune, the city is also witnessing rise in factors contributing to its increasing air pollution levels.

The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) environment status report for 2016-17 clearly shows that air pollutants, including Nitrogen Oxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide and particulate matter in the air are constantly increasing.

Many of these pollutants, including particulate matter, Nitrogen Oxide and Nitrogen Dioxide, are found to be above the standard set by the Central Pollution Control Board. Other pollutants, including Sulphur Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide, are below the standard permissible levels, but are still rising.

According to the statistics available with the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Pune, close to two lakh new vehicles are seen on city roads every year. The total number of vehicles registered in Pune till July this year is 43,30,635. Out of these 25,07,428 are two-wheelers while 6,07,886 are four-wheelers.

Speaking about this rising air pollution in the city, PMC’s environment officer Mangesh Dighe told Hindustan Times that this rise in air pollutants is mainly because of the rise in the number of vehicles in the city.

“Pollutants like Nitrogen Oxide, Carbon Monoxide and Sulphur are a result of the smoke emitted from the vehicle’s exhaust. With rising number of vehicles on the roads, these pollutants are also rising,” added Dighe.

He further stated that even as various industries also contribute to rise in air pollutants, those kind of industries are not there in the vicinity of Pune in large numbers.

“Pune mainly has assembling industries or service industries which do not release pollutants like Sulphur, Nitrogen Oxide or Carbon Monoxide. Hence, the only major factors for rising air pollution are the vehicles, “ he added.

He further stated that with this rise in number of vehicles, the dust also does not settle and keeps floating in the air, thus increasing levels of particulate matter in the air.

Dighe stated that the Bharat Stage IV vehicles are seen to cause less pollution compared to the older vehicles which are still seen in large numbers on the roads.

“If vehicles use alternate fuels like CNG or LPG, then this rise in air pollution can be controlled as these are clean fuels. Hence, the use of CNG and LPG needs to be popularised in the city,” he added.

Environmentalist Vinod Bodhankar stated that apart from the air pollution caused due to vehicles, a significant component in the particulate matter present in the air comes from burning of plastic. He stressed on the need to reduce plastic consumption as only seven per cent to nine per cent of the plastic is genuinely recycled.

The number of vehicles in the city has seen a constant rise with growing population. The population of Pune, whihc was 35 lakh in 211 has increased to 45 lakh in 2017. The absence of a proper public transport system in Pune has propelled the number of private vehicles, particularly two-wheelers.

Source: Hadapsar, Navi peth, Mandai have the worst air quality in Pune | pune news | Hindustan Times

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Medellín’s pollution is having deadly effects

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Respro® UK Ltd

The pollution in Colombia’s second largest city of Medellín is a health care crisis, according to National Faculty of Public Health researcher Elkin Martínez. In a study based upon DANE data from 1980 to 2012, Martinez has shown that one person dies every three hours in Medellín due to air pollution. This study considers casualties derived from chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, and strokes.

Most troubling, the data used in the study showed an alarming and rapid rise in deaths related to pollution, culminating in 2012, the final year of the study. In that year, 3,000 out of 15,000 fatalities in the city were reportedly caused by the high levels of contaminants found the city’s air.

“This represents ten times the deaths from victims of traffic accidents”, Martinez said. “However these deaths (from air pollution) are silent and no one ever relates them back to their true cause”, he added.

In the period of analysis, obstructive chronic pulmonary disease deaths increased five-fold from 200 to 1000 annually, and lung cancer mortality nearly doubled from 11.8% to 21.4%. That mortality rate now represents 3.4 times the rate of neighboring Bogotá and 3.6 times that of the United States. Data from the study only runs through 2012, and research has indicated that pollution has only accelerated in subsequent years.

Medellín’s rapid growth, due both to economic growth and the lack of job opportunities in the city’s countryside, has led to an explosion of population growth and accelerated urbanization of the city. That increase has included a rapid increase in the number of vehicles.

“Chronic respiratory disease is often associated with permanent exposure to tobacco and smoke from wood, but this data shows that smoking has notably decreased in recent years. However, the number of vehicles has quadrupled in the last decade and now 80% of the toxic substances in Medellín’s air come from vehicles”, Ramirez pointed out, showing that the number of vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants rose from 50 to 350 from 1985 to 2015. In all of Antioquia, from 2005 to 2015, the number of vehicles increased from 478,000 to 1,347,000

Despite the evidence that Ramirez has presented, Colombian authorities are skeptical of the impact of vehicles on air quality. Eugenio Prieto, who oversees the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley, spoke out to defend the city’s policies.

“To say that so many people die from air pollution is just speculation. Studies performed are not focused on environmental causes, but epidemiologic. Therefore, it is not conclusive”, he said.

Despite the criticism of Martínez’s studies, it represents the most comprehensive study yet of the health effects due to air pollution on Medellín’s population. While Martínez attributes one out of five deaths in Medellín to air pollution, the government reports half that number.

The WHO signed an agreement with the University of Antioquia this past December to further study the issue in Medellín along with the other 9 municipalities which constitute Aburrá’s Valley. The study is not expected to be completed for several years.

Source: Medellín’s pollution is having deadly effects

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