Peru's Air Pollution: Understanding The Root Causes

Peru is taking an active role in combatting air pollution, which is one of the most significant environmental health risks in the country, causing over 9,000 premature deaths a year. The main sources of air pollution in Peru include vehicular emissions, industrialisation, and the burning of wood for residential cooking. Peru's transport sector is responsible for 58% of the total PM2.5 emissions in the Lima-Callao metropolitan area, with an exponential growth in the vehicle fleet and fuel consumption leading to higher emissions of contaminants. In addition, insufficient regulation of the environmental impacts of the industrial sector has led to the government setting Environmental Quality Standards and maximum allowable limits. Solid waste management is also a major challenge, with municipal solid waste generation increasing rapidly in recent years.

Vehicular emissions

The number of vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants in Peru has increased significantly in recent years. Between 2000 and 2019, the national automotive fleet grew from 44 to 93.5 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants. In the Lima-Callao metropolitan area, the number was even higher, with 172 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants as of 2019. This exponential growth has led to higher fuel consumption levels and, consequently, higher emissions of contaminants such as methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide.

The types of vehicles on the road also contribute to air pollution. Cars, motorbikes, trucks, lorries, and buses emit smoke and fumes that contribute to the overall air pollution levels. In addition, inadequate vehicle maintenance and the use of lower-quality fuels can further exacerbate the problem. Initiatives to phase out older, more polluting vehicles can help reduce vehicular emissions, but economic factors may pose challenges to implementing such initiatives in Peru.

To address the issue of vehicular emissions, Peru has taken several measures. The Ministry of Transport is working on mitigation strategies in coordination with other ministries, such as the Ministry of Energy and Mines and the Ministry of Environment. Peru has also introduced the National Program for Sustainable Urban Transport (PROMOVILIDAD), which aims to provide cities with safe, reliable, and sustainable transport systems. Additionally, the country has launched public awareness campaigns, such as AIRE LIMPIO, to promote the use of cleaner fuels and vehicle checks.

Furthermore, Peru has sought international support to reduce vehicular emissions. The TRANSfer project, funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMU), is supporting the design of the TRANSPeru NAMA to mitigate urban transport emissions. Peru is also a member of the Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and has participated in initiatives on agriculture, bricks, waste, and national planning to improve air quality and mitigate climate change.

Industrialisation

Peru, a country in South America, is home to over 30 million people. The country is increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and agricultural depletion. One of the most significant environmental health risks in Peru is outdoor air pollution, which is responsible for over 9,000 premature deaths annually.

The industrial sector in Peru encompasses various industries, including metal processing, oil and gas, fisheries, transportation, cement production, and brick manufacturing. These industries contribute to air pollution through their emissions and resource utilisation. For example, the transportation sector, including road and maritime transport, is a significant source of black carbon and other air pollutants. The use of diesel and lower-quality fuels in vehicles and machinery emits smoke and haze, contributing to ambient air pollution. Additionally, the burning of fossil fuels in industrial processes releases contaminants such as methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

To combat air pollution from industrialisation, Peru has undertaken several initiatives. The country has joined international efforts, such as the Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) in 2013, to collaborate on reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). Through the CCAC, Peru has developed roadmaps and identified priority mitigation measures to reduce black carbon and other pollutant emissions. These measures include implementing more stringent vehicle emissions standards, promoting the use of cleaner fuels, and improving fuel efficiency in the transportation sector.

Furthermore, Peru has introduced national programmes to address air pollution from industrial sources. The National Program for Sustainable Urban Transport (PROMOVILIDAD) aims to provide cities with sustainable transport systems, reduce travel times, and decrease emissions. Additionally, the Solid Waste Law, passed in 2016, establishes a framework for waste recovery, recycling, and extended producer responsibility, contributing to better waste management and environmental protection.

Burning of wood

The burning of wood is a significant contributor to air pollution in Peru, particularly in homes and small businesses for cooking and other similar activities. While the impact on air quality is minimal when practiced on a small scale, the accumulation of smoke from hundreds of thousands of people can have a visible effect on the population and the environment.

Wood-burning produces smoke, which contains major air pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), an odourless and colourless gas produced in large amounts by burning wood with insufficient air. CO reduces the blood's ability to supply oxygen to body tissues, causing stress on the heart and reducing exercise capacity. In addition, wood smoke contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including toxic and/or carcinogenic substances like benzene, formaldehyde, and benzo-a-pyrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). These toxic pollutants can have significant health impacts, including respiratory illnesses.

Residential biomass use, including wood-burning for cooking, is one of the largest sources of black carbon emissions in Peru. The incomplete combustion of wood contributes to the formation of black carbon and VOCs, which are released into the atmosphere. The burning of wood in stoves and fireplaces is a common source of odour and reduced visibility, negatively affecting air quality and causing health-related problems for individuals and the community.

To address wood-burning pollution, Peru has developed a Roadmap to Reduce SLCPs (short-lived climate pollutants) with the support of the SNAP initiative. This roadmap includes seven priority mitigation measures, such as increasing the use of LPG for cooking in rural areas, to reduce black carbon emissions and improve air quality. Additionally, individuals can take steps to limit wood smoke production, such as controlling airflow during burning and avoiding the use of manufactured fireplace logs that produce toxic fumes.

Overall, the burning of wood for cooking and other activities contributes significantly to air pollution in Peru, particularly in urban areas. By implementing national initiatives and individual practices, Peru is taking steps to reduce the impact of wood-burning on air quality and public health.

Agricultural burning

Slash-and-burn agriculture is a major source of black carbon emissions, a short-lived climate pollutant that contributes to air pollution, climate change, and increased melting in the cryosphere. It is the fourth-largest source of black carbon after household energy, transport, and industrial production. The release of black carbon into the atmosphere through agricultural burning has detrimental effects on both human health and the environment.

In recognition of the negative impacts of agricultural burning, Peru has been working to implement alternative practices. Since 2014, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition's (CCAC) Agriculture Initiative has collaborated with the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI) to promote "no-burn" methods in the country. This involves providing technical assistance and funding to support regional networks and projects that facilitate the adoption of open-burning alternatives.

One such alternative is the agroforestry project led by the Chaikuni Institute in partnership with local farmers. This initiative combines traditional Amazonian farming techniques with modern sustainable farming concepts to create a financially and environmentally sustainable farming system. By working with local communities, the project aims to halt deforestation caused by slash-and-burn agriculture and provide a viable alternative for food production.

Additionally, Peru has developed a Roadmap to Reduce SLCPs, which includes seven priority mitigation measures to target the major sources of black carbon. One of the measures specifically addresses agricultural burning by reducing the amount of sugar cane that is openly burned in fields. The successful implementation of these measures is expected to reduce black carbon emissions nationally by 17% by 2030, significantly improving air quality and human health outcomes.

Insufficient regulation

Peru has been facing issues with air pollution, particularly in its cities, which have elevated levels of pollution that cause a large number of issues for its inhabitants, the ecosystem, and the climate. Outdoor air pollution is one of the most significant environmental health risks in Peru, causing over 9,000 premature deaths a year. Air pollution is especially bad in urban centres such as Lima, which has some of the highest levels of air pollution in Latin America and the Caribbean.

One of the main causes of air pollution in Peru is the transport sector, which is responsible for 58% of the total PM2.5 emissions in the Lima-Callao metropolitan area. The growing size of the automotive fleet and the increasing use of fossil fuels have led to higher fuel consumption and, consequently, higher emissions of contaminants such as methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide. The second-largest source of PM2.5 emissions in Lima-Callao is fixed-point sources such as factories, which account for 26% of emissions.

While Peru has taken some steps to address air pollution, there is a lack of sufficient regulation of the environmental impacts of the industrial sector. Data on pollutants released from industrial plants is often scarce or absent, limiting the ability of environmental authorities to identify emitters, assign liabilities, and implement corrective measures. However, the government has set Environmental Quality Standards and maximum allowable limits to address this issue. Additionally, the Public Investment Program includes a component dedicated to establishing six air quality monitoring networks in provinces to improve air quality monitoring infrastructure.

The transportation sector is not the only contributor to air pollution in Peru. Residential biomass use and agricultural burning are also significant sources of emissions, particularly black carbon. Peru has developed a roadmap to reduce emissions from these sources, which includes measures such as increasing the use of LPG for cooking in rural areas and reducing the amount of sugarcane burned in fields. However, implementing these measures may be challenging due to economic factors.

Solid waste management is another major challenge in Peru's urban areas. Municipal solid waste generation has been increasing rapidly in recent years, and the country struggles with proper waste management and disposal. While the Solid Waste Law, passed in 2016, aims to enforce the recovery and recycling of waste, the generation of hazardous solid waste from economic activities is often underreported, and the country lacks adequate systems for its management.

Frequently asked questions