The air quality in Ile de France

Discussion of methods of remediation and control air quality.
Dearcham
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by Dearcham » 13/03/04, 18:06

THE WORLD | 13.03.04/12/55 | 13.03.04 pm • UPDATED ON 16 | 12:XNUMX p.m.
Airparif claims that the heat wave was not solely responsible for the deterioration of air quality in 2003. This organism, which measures pollutants in the atmosphere, notes an increase in nitrogen dioxide levels largely due to road traffic.
It is a breath of stale air in the electoral campaign in Ile-de-France. In its bulletin for the month of March, Airparif, the association which measures air quality in the region, draws up an inglorious assessment of the past year. "2003 will have seen many records in terms of pollution", note these experts. And to those who invoke the heat wave as the sole responsible for this deterioration, she replies that this explanation "cannot, by itself, explain these rising levels of pollution".

Airparif does not deny that the exceptional high pressure conditions observed last year worsened the balance sheet. The absence of wind prevented the dispersion of pollutants, as was the case in the rotten summer of 2002. The sunshine, "20 to 30% higher than the average of the last ten years", activated the formation ozone, a secondary pollutant which is formed by photochemical degradation of other pollutants. But the association notes that the results are part of a fundamental trend. Pollutant emissions are no longer falling, as certain reassuring speeches would like, and would even increase for some of them.

Consequence: one day out of six, the Atmo index, an indicator calculated from a cocktail of pollutants, was described as "poor" to "bad". "An unprecedented frequency", according to Airparif. The number of pollution episodes has also reached an unknown level since the introduction of public information procedures in 1995. Ozone spikes largely contributed to this sad performance.

Apart from peaks and heat waves, the average ozone levels observed in 2003 were worrying. They are double those recorded ten years ago. Airparif notes "a regular rise" of the levels in the atmosphere, phenomenon observed "on the scale of all the northern hemisphere" for a century. The quality objectives, a sort of sanitary threshold which makes it possible to gauge the background pollution inhaled daily by the inhabitants, have been exceeded as never before.

The bulletin also lists a rise in nitrogen dioxide levels. The increase is 10% on average and 20% on certain sensors. Four million Ile-de-France residents are exposed to air that, on an annual average, exceeds sanitary standards. Near certain traffic areas, residents are exposed to levels that reach twice the limit values.

The rise in nitrogen dioxide levels is "unrelated to the heat wave," says Airparif. 2003 confirms an observation long established by the association: the levels of this pollutant remain stable, without "that no trend has emerged in recent years". Levels of fine particles have hardly changed either, this year however marking "a slight increase". Near certain traffic routes, the values ​​encountered exceed, for the first time, the limit values ​​of French and European legislation.

Road transport plays a major role in this pollution. But air pollution is increasingly denounced. The National Air Council recently took an interest in this source of nuisance. In Les Poisons du ciel (Advocnar), Sébastien Trollé states that "in 2001, Aéroports de Paris declared that it had released 800 tonnes of oil into the atmosphere, more than 2 tonnes per day". "14,79 tonnes of nitrogen oxide are emitted every day by air traffic from Orly and Roissy; this is equivalent to 1 petrol cars traveling 972 kilometers", continues the author.

In this rather bleak picture, Airparif notes, however, an improvement in benzene levels "but which still do not comply with regulations close to traffic". Sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide levels are also down, while lead has almost disappeared.

The association also notes that the peaks, certainly more numerous, no longer reach the peaks recorded in the mid-1990s. The alert threshold triggering alternating circulation, currently set at 360 micrograms per cubic meter of air for the ozone, was never reached in 2003. But a European directive of 2002 proposes to reduce this alert threshold to 240 micrograms. If the new regulations had been applied in 2003, alternate circulation would have had to be implemented three times.

Fewer spectacular spikes in peaks, more small alerts and maintenance of background pollution: this summarizes Airparif's assessment (available on www.airparif.asso.fr). "Globally, the average annual concentrations of 2003 are up compared to those of 2002, for several major pollutants", estimates the association. It thus takes on the opposite the dominant discourse in the Parisian political class, which claims to a slow improvement of the situation.

The report has received little comment since its publication. Corinne Lepage, former Minister of the Environment, who is on André Santini's UDF list, took the opportunity to denounce "non-application of the air law", which she had voted in 1996. Jean-Félix Bernard, regional councilor (Greens) and president of the National Air Council, also reacted. But, apart from these two activists in the fight against pollution, pure silence accompanied the publication of Airparif.

The association nevertheless poses a fundamental question. Climate change and the rise in temperatures observed since the end of the XNUMXth century seem to worsen the effects of atmospheric degradation. Researchers are working to determine the share attributable to pollution in the excess mortality observed this summer. A figure that could spark reactions.

Benoit Hopquin

• ARTICLE IN THE 14.03.04 EDITION
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Woodcutter
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Paris transport policy




by Woodcutter » 20/12/06, 10:37

I dig up a very old post ( : Shock: I didn't even know there were such old ones! ) to link this article from the Gazette des Communes reporting encouraging results for the much-criticized policy of the town hall of Paris vis-à-vis car traffic.
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Rulian
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by Rulian » 22/12/06, 14:34

It is clear that the Delanoé / Baupin duo is increasingly under attack on transport policy in Paris. We feel that the 2008 elections are starting to approach.

In addition, it must be recognized that anti-car measures sometimes have an immediate counterproductive effect through traffic delays and the traffic jams caused. But they must persist. Delanoé / Baupin have to manage the beginning of the transitional period between the whole car and the future "as few cars as possible". There are errors, approximations and very large inertias and resistances. But I am still convinced that they are paddling in the right direction.

If I were Parisian, no doubt they would have my way.
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by Woodcutter » 22/12/06, 14:56

Rulian wrote:[...] But I am still convinced that they row in a good way.

If I were Parisian, no doubt they would have my way.
Me too ! 8)

I hope that Delanoë will continue, he deserves it for the courage he had to face the lions in the arena ... And for these results which are beginning to be seen!
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