Air quality in Alvaro Obregon

What is the current level of air pollution in Álvaro Obregón?

Álvaro Obregón is one of the 16 boroughs, previously known as delegations, into which Mexico City is divided. A large part of the south western part of the city is included in this area. According to a census which was conducted in 2010 the estimated population of Álvaro Obregón was approximately 727,000 inhabitants.

At the start of the fourth quarter of 2021, Álvaro Obregón was experiencing a period of “Moderate” air quality with a US AQI reading of 69. This figure is often used as a metric when comparing different cities in different countries. There are usually six of the most commonly occurring pollutants which are measured and this figure is then calculated. If records for all six are not available, a number can still be calculated using the available information. In the case of Álvaro Obregón, only PM2.5 was recorded which was 20.6 µg/m³. This level is twice as high as the acceptable target figure of 10 µg/m³ as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Whilst this figure is not extremely high, the advice given would be to remain indoors as much as possible, closing all windows and doors to prevent more polluted air from entering the rooms. Those people who are more sensitive to poor air quality should try to avoid venturing outside until the air improves. There is a downloadable app from AirVisual which is available for all operating systems which keeps you updated as to the air quality in real-time.

Does the level of air pollution remain the same throughout the year in Álvaro Obregón?

Looking at the figures released by IQAir.com for 2020, it can easily be seen that the month with the best air quality was August when the figure was 12 µg/m³ which put it in the “Good” quality bracket. Figures between 10 and 12 µg/m³ fall into this category. For the remaining eleven months, Álvaro Obregón experienced “Moderate” air quality with figures between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. Out of these 11 months, September offered the best air quality with a reading of 12.5 µg/m³, the worst month was May with a reading of 28.4 µg/m³.

Historically, records regarding air quality were first kept in 2019 when the figure recorded was 23.9 µg/m³. Last year saw an improvement with a figure of 18.2 µg/m³ but this may not be a true indication of reality because of the COVID-19 situation when many vehicles were no longer in daily use because their drivers were not required to work in the office, but allowed to work from home, instead. There were also some factories and small production units which were temporarily closed so their emissions ceased as well.

Is there a main source of air pollution in Álvaro Obregón?

In Mexico City there are almost 31 thousand industrial establishments and almost 34,000 in the State of Mexico. Of the total, it has been verified that 47 per cent (30,881) are generators of polluting emissions and greenhouse effect, which explains the emissions inventory.

Automobiles represent a major source of air pollution. The automotive fleet includes a large and active group of vehicles propelled by the combustion of hydrocarbons (mopeds, cars and trucks).

The emissions from the exhausts of these vehicles contain carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides that are released into the atmosphere in significant quantities; they are the components of "photochemical oxidizing smog". For this reason, the most populated urban areas are those that suffer the most pollution of this type.

Among other factors, its geographical location and orographic characteristics play a determining role in air quality, as it is located in a closed basin, at an average altitude of 2,240 meters above sea level, surrounded by a mountain range. These natural conditions make it difficult for the wind to circulate and for the dispersion of pollutants.

Can anything be done to improve the air quality in Álvaro Obregón?

Vehicles are one of the major sources of pollutants from the air in Mexico City so the Ministry of Environment has two programs to ensure that vehicles circulating in the City of Mexico tend to lower emission of pollutants. These programs are "vehicle verification" and "today does not circulate." It is recognised that cargo transportation (of which more than 700,000 units have been registered) is fundamental for the country's economy but is highly polluting, since it causes problems of road traffic, increased noise and emissions of black carbon and fine particles.

A new vehicle bought in Mexico pollutes 8 to 10 times more than a new one bought in the United States, this was denounced by environmental organizations to demand measures from the government.

The mobility and air quality crises that occur in the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico (ZMVM) require structural changes and the implementation of very drastic measures, even if they are not very popular with the population. These measures should be aimed at privileging public transportation and significantly restricting the use of private cars, and should be commensurate with the environmental and public health costs that pollution and congestion have for society.

The deep transformation of the city that is required must be accompanied by development policies aimed at containing the expansion of the urban area and rescuing public space, including the creation of green areas.

What are the effects on human health through breathing polluted air?

Ambient air contains invisible and visible particles, chemicals, and bacteria, among others. Our body has adapted to deal with some of these pollutants: our anatomy, from the nose and mouth to various tubes through which the air passes to reach the inner part of the lungs - where the exchange of oxygen and the carbon dioxide removal - acts as a mechanical air filter. Despite this, various particles and gases that makeup what we call "air pollution" will reach the inside of the lungs.

Because our lungs are the main organ exposed to the air we breathe, they are also one of the most affected organs. For this reason, people with respiratory diseases are especially affected, since bronchitis, asthma, chronic respiratory diseases and all allergic diseases (such as rhinitis) are more likely to worsen when pollution increases. It also deregulates the elimination of pulmonary mucus secretions and favours lung infections, such as pneumonia.