REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID 2005 BALANCE

Transcription

1 Marqués de Leganés Madrid Tel: Fax: REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID 2005 BALANCE January 2006

2 In the last few years the city of Madrid and its surroundings have suffered a deep change in their urban structure and the economic activity, involving a significant increase in the mobility of people and goods. This has had a big impact on the use of land, with the construction of many and expensive road infrastructures in order to although it was never achieved improve traffic, and the exponential growth of traffic has provoked an unstoppable increase in air pollution levels. Legal framework for air quality In the mid 90 s the UE initiated a legislative development aimed at improving air quality in European cities. The most relevant regulations include Directive 96/62/EC (called mother directive), which established the pollutants that should be measured, the systems to carry out those measures and the obligation to nominate authorities in charge of ensuring air quality and informing the public. Several daughter directives were drawn up afterwards (including Directives 1999/30/EC and 2000/69/EC), which set the limits for each relevant pollutant. Needless to say that none of these Directives was transposed into our national law within the agreed deadline, and that there was even a sentence against the Spanish government because of this. Eventually, 15 months late, Royal Decree 1073/2002 (18 th October) including the obligations of the first two daughter Directives was approved. According to this Royal Decree, the Autonomous Region Governments are the authorities in charge of looking after air quality in their respective territories, although there are some exceptions, such as the city of Madrid, where the authority in charge is the City Council, since it already had an air quality measurement network before the new European legislation. What s up with the air in the Madrid Autonomous Region? In the Madrid Autonomous Region the car has become the main obstacle for a desirable quality of life. It takes hold exclusively of the urban space, releasing at the same time pollution and noise, not forgetting other impacts, such as car accidents and cohabitational stress. It can be said that up to the 80 s, Madrid had high levels of sulphur dioxide (SO2) pollution due to the massive use of charcoal for heating and other household applications. The gradual replacement of this type of fuel has meant a noticeable decrease in SO2 levels, but at the same time there has been an increase in other pollutants generated by the increasing amount of traffic in Madrid and its surroundings. Currently the most worrying pollutants in the Autonomous Region of Madrid are nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10 or particles less than 10 microns in diameter), since limit levels for protection of human health, set by European law, have been exceeded in the last few years. Air pollution has an impact on the outbreak of respiratory and other related diseases, such as vascular diseases and cancer, and makes them worse. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes approximately deaths a year in the EU, twice the number of deaths in car accidents. REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID BALANCE. Page 2

3 Air quality in the city of Madrid in 2005 According to data Published by the Madrid City Council Air Pollution Measurement Network, NO 2 and PM 10 levels in the city is exceeding again the legal limits established by European law for the protection of human health. Nitrogen dioxide NO2 present in the air in the cities comes mainly from the oxidation for NO, whose main source is car emissions. NO2 is therefore a good indicator of pollution generated by on-road traffic. On the other hand, NO2 is involved in various chemical reactions that take place in the atmosphere, resulting in the production of both surface ozone and secondary PM less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM-2.5), the most harmful to human health. Consequently, when it comes to assessing the effects of NO2 on health, apart from its direct effects, it is important to take into account that it is an indicator of pollution generated by traffic (which generates many other pollutants that are harmful to health) and is a precursor of other important pollutants. In general, nitrogen oxides (NOx) are very reactive and when inhaled they affect the respiratory system. NO2 affects the lower sections of the lungs, inhibiting some of their functions, such as the immunological response, weakening our resistance to infections. Children and asthmatics are the most affected by exposure to high concentrations of NO2. Likewise, chronic exposure to low concentrations of NO2 has been associated with an increase in chronic respiratory diseases, premature ageing of the lungs and a decrease in their functionality. In relation to NO2, the annual limit established by current legislation for 2005 was 50 micrograms/cubic metre (μg/m3), and this legal limit will go down regularly (2 μg/m3 per year) until 2010, when it should be 40 μg/m3, considering the maximum value compatible with an adequate protection of human health. The graphic in the following page presents data from the 27 stations of the Madrid City Council Air Pollution Measurement Network, as well as the network average, for The graphic shows that the average NO2 value in Madrid in 2005 reached 62 μg/m3. 23 out of the 27 stations exceeded the annual limit of 50 μg/m3. The highest values were registered in the following stations: Plaza Luca de Tena (91), Marañón (85), Escuelas Aguirre (77), Plaza de Castilla (77), Cuatro Caminos (73), Paseo de Extremadura (71), Glorieta Carlos V (70). The data indicate a slight increase in pollution by NO2 compared with 2004, probably due to the draught in According to data published by the City Council, only the Casa de Campo (33) y Pte. De Vallecas (39) stations (the later just on the limit) will meet the target set by the European legislation for an adequate protection of human health in If an average value over 40 μg/m3, is harmful in 2010, it is undeniably harmful now. REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID BALANCE. Page 3

4 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2 ) Annual Mean Year 2005 (In 2005 the limit value was 50 μg/m 3. In 2010 the limit value will be 40 μg/m 3 ) P. Luca de Tena Marañón Esc. Aguirre 77 Pza. de Castilla 77 C. Caminos P. Extremadura Gta. Carlos V P. Recoletos 69 Fdez. Ladreda Urb. Embajada Sta. Eugenia Alcalá Final 64 Pza. de España Barrio del Pilar Isaac Peral Moratalaz 59 Pza. del M. Salamanca Villaverde P. Pontones Ramón y Cajal 54 Arturo Soria 53 General Pza. M. Becerra Barajas Pueblo 44 Pte. De Vallecas Casa Campo RED NO 2 (μg/m 3 ) 2010 Limit 2005 Limit REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID BALANCE. Page 4

5 Particulate Matter The term Particulate Matter covers a Wide range of organic and inorganic substances floating in the air that come from natural and artificial sources. Combustion of fossil fuels generated by traffic (one of the main sources of pollution by PM in the cities) can produce several types of particles: Large particles, by the release of unburned material (volatile ashes); fine particles, formed by condensation of vaporized material during the combustion; and secondary particles, my atmospheric reaction of released pollutants such as gases. Taking into account their effects on human health, they can be classified like this: PM10 ( thoracic particles less than 10 μm in diameter, that can reach the lower respiratory system); PM2.5 ( breathable particles less than 2.5 μm, that can reach the areas where gases are exchanged in the lungs); and ultrafine particles less than 100 nm in diameter, that can reach the blood stream. Many epidemiological studies have revealed the serious effects that exposure to pollution by PM has on human health. Such studies show that pollution by PM is associated with: An increase in total mortality, mortality by respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, mortality by lung cancer and admissions to hospital because of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Studies of the long-term effects have revealed that exposure to PM can reduce life expectancy between several months and two years. Toxicological studies indicate that fine particles of anthropogenic origin, especially those generated by the combustion of fossil fuels, are more harmful to health than particles of geological origin. As for PM10, the current legislation states that during 2005 the daily limit of 50 μg/m3 should not be exceeded more than 35 days a year, considered by the European legislation as the maximum value compatible with an adequate protection of human health. However, as can be seen in the following graphic, the daily limit was exceeded 65 times in the Madrid network average. The daily limit of PM10 set by the European legislation was exceeded in 22 out of the 27 stations. In five of the stations the limit was exceeded more than 100 times: Pza. Luca de Tena (124), Pza. de Castilla (104), Fdez. Ladreda (101), Cuatro Caminos (101) Barrio del Pilar (100). It is important to mention that the PM10 records are influenced by problems that have affected the normal operation of the measurement network, which has meant an important underestimation of the real number of times the daily limit was exceeded in In fact, many stations have not taken measurements during long periods of time (see table in the following pages), and therefore the limit might have been exceeded more times but they have not been recorded. Such stations include: Santa Eugenia (inoperative for 234 days) Manuel Becerra (95), Marqués de Salamanca (64), Villaverde (48) y Pza. Luca de Tena (46). In most cases the stations have been affected by public works nearby (a collateral effect of the Pharaonic public works carried out by the City Council). But in other stations, the City Council has claimed strange reasons: For example, the Villaverde station has been inoperative for over a month because the stall is being moved. On the other hand, a brief analysis of the data indicates that the values registered by some stations are too low, probably because of poor equipment maintenance. REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID BALANCE. Page 5

6 Particulate Matter (PM 10 ) YEAR 2005 Nº of exceedances of daily limit value (50 μg/m 3 ) (The daily limit value should not be exceeded more than 35 days a year) *P. Luca de Tena 124 C. Caminos 101 Pza. de Castilla Fdez. Ladreda 101 Barrio del Pilar Marañón 99 **Villaverde Gta. Carlos V P. Recoletos Alcalá Final 75 P. Pontones Esc. Aguirre Pza. del Carmen Casa Campo Ramón y Cajal G eneral Ricardos 59 Moratalaz Pte. De Vallecas Urb. Embajada ***Pza. M. Becerra P. Extremadura Isaac Peral 37 Barajas Pueblo 33 ****M. Salamanca *****Sta. Eugenia Limit of annual Arturo Soria Pza. de España exceedances RED Nº of exceedances (days) * No data for 46 days ** No data for 48 days *** No data for 95 days **** No data for 64 days ***** No data for 234 days REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID BALANCE. Page 6

7 For example, the Marqués de Salamanca station was inoperative between April 14th and June 6th (54 days), and when it became operative on June 7th, the PM10 did not work properly until September 29th (115 days). This is reflected in the graphic of the following page, which shows how the records of the Marqués de Salamanca station differ clearly from the network average, and do not exceed 20 µg/m3 for several months. A similar problem, still to be solved, also affects the Barajas Pueblo station since October 1 st (see graphic), and consequently we don t know whether the limit value has been exceeded or not in the last three months. Finally, the Pza de España station has been affected by the public works carried out in the line 3 of the Metro, and during most of the year the stations has been surrounded by high fences that have affected PM10 measurements. All these facts indicate that the City Council is not making enough effort to collect adequate information about the quality of the air in Madrid and informing the public properly. Days with no PM10 data No of day Station 234 Santa Eugenia 95 Plaza de Manuel Becerra 64 Marqués de Salamanca 48 Villaverde 46 P. Luca de Tena 31 Plaza del Carmen 29 Barrio del Pilar 27 Glorieta Carlos V 22 Plaza de Castilla 15 Vallecas 15 Fernández Ladreda 15 Casa Campo 13 Marañón 13 Escuelas Aguirre 13 Moratalaz 12 Plaza de España 12 Arturo Soria 12 Isaac Peral 11 Ramón y Cajal 10 Paseo de Recoletos 10 General Ricardos 10 Avenida de Extremadura 9 Paseo Pontones 9 Urb. Embajada 9 Barajas Pueblo 8 Cuatro Caminos 8 Alcalá Final 8 NETWORK REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID BALANCE. Page 7

8 PM10 MEASUREMENT PROBLEMS IN SOME STATIONS Daily levels of PM10 (μg/m3) March-November Marqués de Salamanca Network Mean Out of service Wrong operation Daily levels of PM10 (μg/m3) July-December 2005 Barajas Pueblo Network Mean Wrong operation REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID BALANCE. Page 8

9 With regard to the effects of pollution by PM10 on human health in Madrid, a recent study on air pollution and health carried out in 26 European cities (APHEIS 3), comes to the conclusion that exceeding the PM10 daily limit (50 μg/m3) causes 83 deaths annually in the city of Madrid (considering only short-term effects). The study also says that a moderate reduction in the PM10 annual average value of only 5 µg/m3 could prevent 526 deaths every year (18 for every citizens), showing that small and feasible reductions of pollution by PM 10 have a beneficial effect on public health, and therefore all preventive actions aimed at reducing pollution are fully justified. Therefore, traffic in Madrid, the main source of air pollution in the city, should be given priority for the sake of public health. Air pollution, a structural problem in Madrid The data offered in this report for 2004 is not uncommon. As can be seen in the following graphics, since 2001 (year in which the European legislation on air quality came into force) the NO2 annual average limit value has been exceeded systematically. Also, the 2005 PM10 daily limit has been exceeded more times than the maximum allowed. In this situation and according to current legal regulations (Article 6.1 of the Royal Decree 1073/2002 of October 18 th ), the City Council of Madrid has the duty to prepare a plan to improve air quality, with the aim of reducing air pollution levels below the established limits, something it has not done so far. In July 2004 the European Commission summoned the City Council of Madrid for this reason. Ecologistas en Acción is currently preparing a complaint against the City Council of Madrid. Given that the main source of air pollution in the city of Madrid is on-road traffic, any serious effort to reduce pollution levels should involve the reduction of the use of cars in the city. This is what several European cities are doing (toll to enter into London, circulation on alternate days of cars with even and odd plate numbers in cities of the North of Italy, free transport card for citizens that give up their car number plates in Belgium cities, restrictive regulation of parking in many cities, etc.). On the contrary, a Project that aims at increasing road capacity in the city centre, as is the case of the M-30 project, will worsen the already poor air quality in Madrid. REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID BALANCE. Page 9

10 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2 ) Annual Mean in Madrid The target limit value set by the European legislation has been exceeded every year NO 2 (μg/m 3 ) º Annual limit value. Should not exceed 40 μg/m 3 in Nº of exceedances Particulate Matter (PM 10 ) Nº of exceedances of the daily limit value (50 µg/m 3 ) Madrid The target limit value set by the European legislation has been exceeded every year The daily limit value should not be 30 exceeded more than 35 days in REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID BALANCE. Page 10

11 Alternatives If we are realistic and crude, the only two options are reducing on-road traffic or disregarding the right of the citizens to breathe clean air. It has been proved that neither installing catalysts in car engines nor using cleaner fuels is enough to solve the problem of pollution. It is necessary to take measures aimed at reducing the use of the car and promoting public transport, measures that encourage people to walk or cycle, and a reduction of the need for mobility: Cancelling the M-30 project and initiating a process of civil participation to establish what should be done with that road, that currently is an urban monstrosity that divides the city and causes serious problems related to pollution to those that have to live with it. Support a development model that reduces the current parameters of citizens mobility. It is necessary to stop the urbanization-road-urbanization loop, whose epicentre is the car and has led us to the current situation. Moratorium on the new roads and highways planned by the Autonomous Region of Madrid. Setting a speed limit of 100 km/h for the main roads. Within the city the limit will be 30 km/h in residential areas, and the 50 km/h limit established by the traffic regulations should be enforced. The access to the centre by car should be restricted to public and collective transport and bicycles, and traffic should be made pedestrian-friendly and peaceful. Transfer the investments in road transport to public transport of good quality that encourages people to stop using the car. Examples of such initiatives are dedicated bus lanes in ring roads and large urban roads, dissuasive parking spaces and parking slots for bicycles at tube, bus and train stations, dedicated bicycle lanes and the recuperation of urban space for pedestrians. REPORT ON AIR QUALITY IN MADRID BALANCE. Page 11