Air quality in Poza Rica de Hidalgo

What is the current level of air pollution in Poza Rica de Hidalgo?

Poza Rica, formally Poza Rica de Hidalgo is a city in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It is approximately 220 kilometres away from Mexico City. It is a relatively new city, only being founded in 1951 so it is one of the few cities in Mexico with no old architecture.

Towards the end of 2021, Poza Rica was experiencing a period of “Moderate” air quality with a US AQI reading of 51. This United States Air Quality Index number is calculated using the levels of six of the most prolific air pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and both sizes of particulate matter, which are PM2.5 and PM10. It can then be used as the metric when comparing air quality in other cities around the world. If data is unavailable for all 6 pollutants, a figure can still be calculated by using what figures there are. In December 2021, only PM2.5 was recorded which was 12.1 µg/m³.

This level of PM2.5 is slightly above the recommended safe level of 10 µg/m³ as suggested by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as being an acceptable level. Although no amount of air pollution is considered to be safe.

When air pollution is classed as being “Moderate” the given advice would be to remain indoors, closing all windows and doors to prevent the ingress of more polluted air. Those who are more sensitive to poor air quality should reduce the amount of time spent outside and wear a good quality mask if this is unavoidable. There is a downloadable app from AirVisual which is suitable for all operating systems which gives the latest information regarding air quality in real-time.

Does the level of air quality remain the same throughout the year in Poza Rica de Hidalgo?

Air quality is very volatile as it can easily be affected by many things and is therefore very difficult to predict.

Looking back at the figures for 2020, published by IQAir.com, it can be seen that for two months of the year Poza Rica achieved the target figure as recommended by the WHO. This figure should be 10 µg/m³ or less. August returned a figure of 9.8 µg/m³, whilst November saw a very small figure of just 4.0 µg/m³. The remaining ten months of the year saw air quality classified as being “Moderate” with readings between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. The best of these months was December with a 12.1 µg/m³ reading, the worst was April with 27.3 µg/m³.

Historically, records for air pollution were not held before 2020 when a figure of 17 µg/m³ was recorded. However, this may not be a true reflection of reality due to the COVID-19 pandemic as many vehicles were no longer in daily use because the offices were closed, in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus. Many factories and non-essential production units were also required to close which removed their emissions from the atmosphere, albeit on a temporary basis.

Is there a main source of air pollution in Poza Rica de Hidalgo?

The generation of toxic substances by motor vehicles is the primary cause for Poza Rica to be the most polluted area throughout Veracruz. It was stated that 1,500 vehicles produce 45 tons of carbon dioxide every year and this has a large impact on thermal sensations in the greenhouse effect.

In Poza Rica there are more than 5,000 taxis, taking into account that private cars and public transport units, in their form of urban buses, are one of the main forms responsible for air pollution because sometimes they do not comply with the vehicular verification system.

Among the pollutants above the norm registered in the region, suspended particles less than 10 microns (PM10) and 2.5 microns (PM2.5), ozone, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide stand out.

PM2.5 is generated in the atmosphere due to chemical reactions by heat or by combustion of gasoline and diesel. Another important factor in pollution comes from toxic gases emitted by oil wells that are dedicated to the extraction of natural gas.

The burning of garbage is a serious problem, which causes environmental damage and the health of citizens. During the last few months in Poza Rica, there have been cases of burning garbage in residential houses, which lead to the origin of grassland fires. Much of the air pollution is attributed to the burning of garbage, including electronics, plastics, old furniture, and food scraps. Poisoning occurs by not being responsible with the garbage, burning it causes the release of toxins and substances such as: lead, cadmium, mercury, greenhouse gases, acid gases and fine particles, which can be highly carcinogenic.

Can anything be done to improve air quality in Poza Rica de Hidalgo?

Some recommendations to reduce pollution are: use the bicycle to go to work or school, maintain cars, avoid burning garbage, do not use pesticides and reduce electricity consumption.

There are several standards to be introduced by the local authorities which include the updating and creation of standards and the strengthening of enforcement mechanisms, since regulations related to air quality are disjointed; vehicle management and fleet renewal, technology and clean fuels; and strengthening from the federal government for monitoring programs.

What are the health impacts of breathing dirty air in Poza Rica de Hidalgo?

Various experimental studies, as well as epidemiological studies in humans, have clearly indicated that exposure to pollutants in ambient air is associated with a wide range of adverse effects (acute and chronic), which affect the quality of life of the general population and of vulnerable groups, mainly children, pregnant women and the elderly, especially if they suffer from pre-existing diseases.

Among the acute effects, studies report increased morbidity rates, mainly in respiratory symptoms and visits to emergency services for respiratory diseases, as well as decreased lung function, altered immune response or predisposition to respiratory infections and exacerbation of asthmatic symptoms. . The increase in mortality rates from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases also stands out.

Information on adverse health effects related to long-term exposure in Mexico is limited. However, international evidence reports an increase in the probability of developing lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a greater number of asthma cases, lung growth impairment, premature mortality, and an increase in deaths from chronic diseases (cardiovascular and respiratory).