What is a leading cause of air pollution in Mexico City?
Located in the crater of an extinct volcano, Mexico City is about 2,240 metres above sea level. The lower atmospheric oxygen levels at this altitude cause incomplete fuel combustion in engines and higher emissions of carbon monoxide and other compounds. Intense sunlight turns these into higher than normal smog levels.
What is the air pollution problem in Mexico City?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a limit for average outdoor ambient air pollution of 10 micrograms (thousandths of a gram) of PM2. 5 per cubic metre of air (10µg/m3). However, average concentrations in Mexico City are about 25µg/m3, and in the range 20-36µg/m3 in Puebla, Toluca and Monterrey.
Why is Mexico’s air so polluted?
This was partly due to Mexico City’s high altitude (7382 ft above sea level), which causes its oxygen levels to be 25% lower. Carbon-based fuels also do not combust completely. Other factors include the proliferation of vehicles, rapid industrial growth, and the population boom.
What is Mexico City doing to reduce air pollution?
Mexico City government has continued to strengthen vehicular emissions control with advanced technologies and surveillance programs, including Green inspectors and remote sensors to identify high emitting as well as non-compliance vehicles; improve fuel quality for both diesel and gasoline; improve public …
Where is the best air quality in Mexico?
Real-time Mexico Cleanest city ranking
| # | city | US AQI |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silao, Guanajuato | 0 |
| 2 | Ajijic, Jalisco | 4 |
| 3 | Villa Gonzalez Ortega, Zacatecas | 9 |
| 4 | Puebla, Baja California | 14 |
What is the most polluted city in Mexico?
Mexico: cities with highest air pollution 2020. Toluca was the most polluted city in Mexico in 2020, based on fine air particulate matter concentration (PM2. 5). Throughout the year, the city had an average particulate matter concentration of 27.1 micrograms per cubic meter.
How is Mexico City air quality?
Throughout 2019, Mexico City’s registered air quality was between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. The highest level recorded was in May when the figure jumped to 34 µg/m³. Looking back over previous years, it is not seen to change by a noticeable amount. In 2017 the reading was 20.4 µg/m³ followed by 19.7 µg/m³ in 2018.
Why is Mexico City so dirty?
Due to Mexico City’s high altitude, its oxygen levels are 25% lower, meaning that fuels do not combust completely – leading to higher levels of pollution. In addition, Mexico City has an older vehicle fleet with EURO IV emission control standards or worse.
Is Mexico City the most polluted city in the world?
In 1992, the UN declared Mexico City to be “the most polluted city on the planet”. This means that fuel quality is extremely important to improving air quality outcomes for the city’s 20 million residents. …