Air Pollution's Impact: Spanish City In Danger

Air pollution is a pressing issue in Spain, with around 30,000 people dying from it in 2019 alone. The country's air quality is impacted by various factors, including emissions from vehicles, manufacturing, and power plants. Among the atmospheric pollutants, ecologists identify suspended particles (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), tropospheric ozone (O3), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and benzo (a) pyrene (BaP) as the most harmful to human health. These pollutants have been linked to respiratory issues, heart problems, and other adverse health effects.

When it comes to specific cities, Madrid, the country's largest city in terms of population and urban area, stands out for its poor air quality. The city's air pollution is driven primarily by congested streets and idling cars, with road traffic being responsible for up to 90% of NO2 concentrations in the city centre. Other cities that have been mentioned in relation to air pollution include Barcelona, Granada, Bilbao, and Valencia.

To address the issue of air pollution, Madrid has implemented traffic-control measures and launched the Air Quality and Climate Change (Plan A) programme, aiming to reduce private vehicle traffic, promote renewable energy, and improve energy efficiency. Despite these efforts, air pollution remains a significant challenge in Spain, and it is essential to continue taking measures to improve air quality and protect public health.

The impact of air pollution on health

Air pollution has a wide range of impacts on health, from minor symptoms to more serious conditions and even death. The effects of air pollution on health can be both short-term and long-term. Short-term effects include simple discomfort, such as irritation of the eyes, nose, skin, throat, wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and breathing difficulties, as well as more serious conditions such as asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, and lung and heart problems. Long-term effects are chronic and can last for years or an entire lifetime and can even lead to death. These effects include damage to the neurological, reproductive, and respiratory systems, as well as cancer.

Particulate Matter (PM) is a major contributor to the adverse health effects of air pollution. PM consists of a complex mixture of liquid and solid particles of organic and inorganic substances suspended in the air. These particles are classified into two categories: PM10, which includes particles with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 microns, and PM2.5, which includes particles with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 microns. The latter is considered more dangerous as it can reach deep into the bronchial tubes and enter the bloodstream, potentially travelling as far as the heart.

Other common air pollutants and their health effects include:

• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is associated with respiratory problems such as coughing, wheezing, dyspnea, bronchospasm, and pulmonary edema. Long-term exposure can lead to chronic lung disease and impair the sense of smell.
• Sulphur dioxide (SO2), which can affect the respiratory system and cause eye and skin irritation, and lead to respiratory irritation, bronchitis, mucus production, and bronchospasm. It is particularly harmful to susceptible individuals such as children, the elderly, and those with lung disease.
• Ground-level ozone (GLO), which can cause breathing problems, induce asthma, reduce lung function, and potentially lead to lung disease.
• Carbon monoxide (CO), which can cause poisoning with symptoms including headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, and loss of consciousness. It competes with oxygen for binding to hemoglobin, leading to hypoxia, ischemia, and cardiovascular disease.
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which can cause short-term eye, nose, throat, and mucosal membrane irritation, as well as long-term toxic reactions.
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are recognised as toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic substances and are a significant risk factor for lung cancer.

Overall, air pollution has serious impacts on public health, with vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with pre-existing heart and lung disease being particularly susceptible to its effects.

The cost of air pollution

Air pollution in Spain has a significant impact on the health of its citizens, particularly in urban areas. This, in turn, has economic costs, reducing productivity through lost working days and increasing medical costs. The annual average PM2.5 concentration in 2023 was two times the World Health Organization's (WHO) annual air quality guideline value. This level of pollution has a direct impact on the number of deaths, hospital admissions, and visits to the emergency room, especially due to respiratory and cardiovascular issues.

Around 30,000 people died in Spain from air pollution in 2019, according to the conservation NGO Ecologistas en Acción. This figure accounts for approximately 6.3% of all deaths in Spain that year. The report also indicates that 94% of the population—around 44 million people—continued to breathe polluted air with levels higher than those recommended by the WHO. This situation affects 88% of the Spanish territory.

The main pollutants of concern are particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ground-level ozone. These pollutants are largely associated with vehicle emissions, with road traffic responsible for more than 50% of nitrogen dioxide emissions, particularly from diesel vehicles. Other sources of pollution include manufacturing areas and the surroundings of large coal and oil thermoelectric plants.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) estimates that around 30,000 premature deaths are registered in Spain annually due to conditions derived from air pollution. The Carlos III Health Institute further estimates that 10,000 of these deaths occur during episodes of high contamination. The health effects of air pollution include changes in lung function, heart problems, and other symptoms that can lead to an increase in hospital admissions and emergency room visits.

In addition to the direct health impacts, air pollution also has economic costs. The EEA notes that air pollution cuts short lives, increases medical costs, and reduces productivity through lost working days. A survey by Transport & Environment found that 82% of Spanish respondents would support restricting the entry of cars in cities or redistributing public space more favorably for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport.

To improve air quality in Spanish cities, it is necessary to reduce motorized traffic, promote public transport, cycling, and pedestrian traffic, and adopt energy-saving measures. The recent COVID-19 health crisis has provided a unique opportunity to observe the effects of reduced traffic on air quality and public health. During this time, cities across Spain experienced a drastic reduction in traffic, which led to an unprecedented improvement in air quality, well below legal limits and WHO recommendations. This confirms that lowering traffic has a clear impact on reducing pollution and improving public health.

The main sources of air pollution

However, in certain manufacturing areas and around large coal and oil thermoelectric plants, these sources can also degrade air quality. The level of ozone is the pollutant that changes the most throughout the year, due to rising average temperatures and extreme weather events (heatwaves) during the summer, which are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide in the air affected two-thirds of Spain's population. Barcelona, Granada, and Madrid continued to exceed the legal limits for nitrogen dioxide, resulting in the European Commission taking Spain to the European Court of Justice.

Every year, around 30,000 premature deaths in the Spanish State are linked to conditions arising from air pollution, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA). The main health effects of air pollution range from changes in lung function and heart problems to an increase in deaths, hospital admissions, and emergency room visits, particularly for respiratory and cardiovascular issues.

The government's response to air pollution

Air pollution in Spain has been a long-standing issue, with cities like Madrid and Barcelona struggling to meet EU air quality standards. The Spanish government has faced pressure from the European Commission to implement tougher measures to combat air pollution, particularly in regard to reducing nitrogen dioxide emissions. In response, the government has admitted that certain cities continue to exceed limits and has been urged to mobilize all levels of government to contribute to improving air quality.

One key measure has been the introduction of low-emission zones in these cities, aiming to ban polluting vehicles from entering specific areas. For instance, Barcelona City Hall planned to implement a low-emission zone spanning 95 square kilometers across five municipalities. However, there has been resistance to such measures, as seen in Madrid, where the new local council pushed to suspend the low-emission scheme, despite criticism from residents and green groups.

The Spanish government has also been urged to address the problem of air pollution as a whole, rather than solely focusing on vehicle emissions. Ecologists in Action, an NGO, has advocated for a comprehensive approach, including promoting public transport, cycling, pedestrian traffic, energy saving, and the adoption of cleaner industrial techniques. They have also emphasized the need for better information for the public, as surveys indicate that a majority of Spanish citizens feel uninformed about air quality issues.

The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to observe the impact of reduced traffic on air quality. During this period, cities across Spain experienced significant improvements in air quality, with nitrogen dioxide levels dropping by over 60% in some cases. Ecologists in Action has used this evidence to campaign for further reductions in traffic, under the slogan 'Let's confine cars, let's recover our space'.

While there have been some positive steps, air pollution remains a serious issue in Spain, with around 30,000 premature deaths attributed to it annually. The government continues to face pressure to implement effective measures to reduce pollution and improve the health of its citizens.

The impact of COVID-19 on air quality

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown measures had a significant impact on air quality in Spain, particularly in its large cities. This article will explore the changes in air pollution levels during the pandemic and analyse the factors that contributed to these changes.

Air Pollution in Spain Before COVID-19

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollution was a significant issue in Spain, with around 30,000 people dying from air pollution-related causes in 2019 alone. The main sources of pollution were emissions from vehicles, particularly diesel vehicles, which accounted for more than 50% of nitrogen dioxide emissions. Other sources included manufacturing areas and large coal and oil thermoelectric plants.

Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Air Quality

The COVID-19 lockdown measures implemented in Spain, which included restrictions on movement, transportation, and industrial activity, had a noticeable impact on air quality. The analysis of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in 78 Spanish cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants showed a significant improvement in air quality during the lockdown period. This improvement was particularly evident in large cities, with a 58% reduction in air pollution levels compared to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Factors Contributing to Improved Air Quality

The drastic reduction in urban mobility, transportation, and industrial activity during the lockdown was the main factor contributing to the improved air quality. The decrease in vehicle emissions, especially from diesel engines, led to lower levels of NO2 and other atmospheric pollutants. Additionally, the lockdown measures may have led to changes in societal habits, such as an increase in teleworking, which could have contributed to the reduction in emissions even after the lockdown restrictions were lifted.

Long-Term Effects on Air Quality

While the COVID-19 lockdown had a positive short-term impact on air quality, the long-term effects are more complex. The analysis of NO2 levels in 2021, after the lockdown restrictions were lifted, showed that air quality had improved compared to pre-COVID-19 years, but it had not returned to the exceptional levels seen during the lockdown. Only 11 cities were below the World Health Organization's (WHO) annual limit for NO2 levels, and no cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants achieved the recommended levels.

Health Benefits of Improved Air Quality

The reduction in air pollution during the COVID-19 lockdown is estimated to have averted around 588 deaths related to air pollution exposure. Additionally, the decrease in NO2 and particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions resulted in a significant improvement in air quality, despite increases in ground-level ozone (O3) levels.

In conclusion, the COVID-19 lockdown measures in Spain had a noticeable impact on air quality, particularly in large cities. The reduction in vehicle emissions and industrial activity contributed to lower levels of atmospheric pollutants. While the long-term effects on air quality are complex and influenced by various factors, the lockdown period demonstrated the potential for significant improvements in air quality through the reduction of emissions from transportation and industrial sources. These findings can inform future air quality policies and strategies to protect public health and mitigate the impacts of air pollution.

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