Italians return to masks as air pollution warning draws tourist attention

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Tourist attractions in Italy have been forced to introduce strict smog measures to combat air pollution.

The northern region of Lombardy has imposed measures across Milan and eight surrounding regions to deal with a period of particularly severe air pollution.

The measures ban large vehicles from operating during the day and impose restrictions on heating and industrial agricultural activities in nine states.

A lack of rain and wind has worsened air pollution levels in Italy, especially in the Po River Valley in the largely landlocked and industrial north.

Some residents are wearing masks outdoors to reduce exposure to dirty air.

Milan is a city of just over 1 million people, located in the densely populated Po Valley, home to almost a third of Italy’s population.

The valley is home to 17 million people and is one of the most polluted regions in Europe, with Italy found in 2020 to be in violation of the EU’s clean-up directive by the EU Court of Justice.

“It stinks! The constant smell of smog makes me cough and my throat burns,” said De Luca, who lives on the second floor of an apartment in Milan’s eastern Studi district.

Milan has some of the highest levels of fine particles and other pollutants in Europe, data from the European Union’s Copernicus Air Monitoring Service and Italian environmental lobby Legambiente revealed this month.

Parts of the Italian peninsula frequently experience poor air quality in winter due to a combination of low rainfall, industrial and vehicle exhaust, and smog-trapping mountains.

In announcing the restrictions, the local government cited weather forecasts showing particulate matter levels above acceptable levels and smog not clearing up soon.

Italy’s environmental group Air for Citizens said the situation was serious and required strict measures to limit pollution from vehicles, heating and agriculture.

“Current pollution limits are completely inadequate to protect our health. This is the World Health Organization’s view,” said Anna Gerometta, director of the Italian Aviation Citizens Movement.

The Italian government recently allowed a postponement of a ban on diesel cars in some of the country’s most polluting regions in northern Italy because consumers and businesses cannot immediately transition to lower emissions or zero transmissions. Approved the law. car.

In launching smog measures on Tuesday, Lombardy authorities still insisted that the overall situation was improving based on annual data.

Giorgio Maione, Lombardy’s environmental and climate assessor, said particulate matter levels have been falling for more than 20 years and investments in sustainable energy retrofits in the past five years have reached €19 billion. Stated.