The Department of Climate Action of the Generalitat has issued a preventive alert for air pollution in the Special Protection Zone (SPA) of the Barcelona conurbation, due to high levels of particulate matter with a diameter of less than 10 microns (PM10).
This announcement comes in response to data collected from four measurement stations located in Mollet del Vallès, Montcada i Reixac and Granollers, where the daily average of PM10 exceeded the critical threshold of 50 µg/m³.
The Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda has identified the municipalities affected by this situation, which include Badalona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Sant Adrià de Besòs, Santa Coloma de Gramenet.
Also Castelldefels, Cornellà de Llobregat, Gavà, Martorell, Molins de Rei, Esplugues de Llobregat, and 20 others. In total, the alert covers a large metropolitan area.
This preventive warning represents the preliminary phase of a possible environmental episode and is activated with the purpose of reducing pollutant emissions. The Generalitat urges citizens to take immediate action to mitigate the environmental impact and protect public health.
Precautionary alert and urgent measures to mitigate environmental impact
Among the recommendations issued is the preference for sustainable transportation, such as walking or cycling, avoiding streets with high traffic.
In addition, it is advisable to give priority to public transport, reduce travel by private vehicle (considering, if possible, the option of teleworking) and encourage carpooling.
It also calls for the adoption of efficient driving practices, the choice of low-emission vehicles and the regulation of air conditioning in homes and establishments.
The preventive measure responds to the persistence of unfavorable weather conditions. The 24-hour forecast suggests that pollution levels will remain elevated and may exceed the daily limit of 50 μg/m³.
These conditions are due, in part, to the presence of an anticyclone in the south of the European continent, which has negatively affected the dispersion of atmospheric pollutants.
Previous alerts
It should be noted that this is not the first time that a preventive alert has been activated in the region. Between December 19 and 24, similar circumstances led to the implementation of measures to reduce emissions and mitigate the effects of air pollution.
The Generalitat calls for citizen cooperation and stresses the importance of following the indications to protect air quality and the health of the population.
It is recommended to be attentive to the updates provided by the local authorities and to abide by the established preventive measures until the environmental conditions improve significantly.
The activation of this preventive alert underlines the need for collaboration between citizens and authorities to achieve a cleaner and healthier environment.
