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Ecologists in Action denounces the passivity of the municipality of Murcia in the face of pollution (05/03/2019)

They demand short-term action plans that allow adopting measures to combat pollution against episodes of poor air quality

Ecologists in Action has addressed the Mayor of Murcia and the Councilor for Urban Planning Environment and Huerta in two separate writings, denouncing the passivity of the municipality and its lack of diligence in dealing with a consistent manner the problem of air pollution in the municipality.

They point out that PM10 particle contamination peaks have reoccurred this past weekend, registering an average of 60 micrograms per cubic meter on Friday, March 1, and 56 micrograms per cubic meter [1] on Saturday, March 2, both days above the daily limit value established by the legislation on air quality, which is 50 micrograms per cubic meter.

In addition, Ecologists in Action denies the fallacy that the situation of stable and anticyclonic weather is the cause of air pollution.

On the other hand, emissions from road traffic, especially heavy road traffic, emissions from industrial estates and agricultural burning are those that produce pollution, and the meteorological situation only influences the greater or lesser dispersion of this pollution.

And although meteorological stability phenomena, during which pollution persists the longest, are typical of regional and local meteorology, they are expected to be more frequent as a result of the advance of Climate Change.

That is to say, the recurrent problem of overcoming the legal limit of particles occurs as a consequence of the current unsustainable mobility model and the lack of truly transformative measures of said model, both within the municipality and in its interaction with neighboring municipalities.

In this context, the anti-pollution protocol of the City of Murcia until now has only been based on reporting and offering a series of voluntary recommendations.

This has served to raise awareness of the existence of the problem, but it does not affect its solution, since it does not imply effective measures to resolve the deterioration of air quality in the municipality.

For this reason, the environmental organization considers it necessary to draw up short-term action plans that allow for the adoption of effective measures to combat pollution in the face of episodes of poor air quality.

Thus, Ecologists in Action suggests that temporary restrictions of motorized traffic be extended during episodes of high pollution in the historic center of the city, in addition to the strict prohibition of agricultural burning.

This must be accompanied by a greater offer of public transport during these episodes, with an increase in the frequency and reduction of the cost or the free service.

Without forgetting that we must work on the provision and improvement of mobility alternatives, and develop a permanent public awareness and information campaigns to discourage the use of private vehicles.

The organization criticizes that the City Council continues not to take this environmental and public health problem seriously enough, that it will continue and worsen if a real change of urban mobility model is not worked on.

Remember that air pollution by particles was responsible in 2015 for almost 28,000 premature deaths in Spain, according to the latest report on air quality published by the European Environment Agency, citing studies by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Carlos III Health Institute has estimated in almost 3,000 annual deaths caused by short-term exposure to particles in the twenty Spanish cities where a significant association between contamination and mortality has been found.

Reducing traffic and agricultural and industrial emissions is the only solution.

The main ways of action to reduce air pollution include: the reduction of motorized traffic in metropolitan areas, reducing the need for mobility with local urbanism and promoting public transport in cities (especially electricity) and non-motorized means such as bicycle or pedestrian traffic.

The ecological reconversion of interurban transport from the highway to an improved and socially accessible conventional railway.

The saving and the energetic efficiency, the recovery of the stimuli for the renewable electrical generation, in substitution of the thermoelectric power stations from fossil fuels;

and the widespread adoption of the best industrial techniques available for the reduction of air pollution.

The prohibition of agricultural burning, replacing alternatives such as shredding, composting, etc.

A really serious Air Quality Improvement Plan is required.

The organization demands an Air Quality Improvement Plan, with quality objectives based on the limit values ​​of the WHO guidelines, and a specific tropospheric ozone control plan, with sufficient funding for its development and with preventive measures , of information and citizen awareness about air quality.

Source: Ecologistas en Acción

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