Fine particle alert. The air quality monitoring association in Ile-de-France Airparif announces an episode of pollution in the region for the day of Friday March 25.
A specific device has been devised to reduce pollutant emissions, it notably involves free residential parking in Paris for the day of tomorrow.
The measure will be extended to the eight cities of the Grand Paris Seine Ouest territory, excluding red zones, as is often the case during peaks in air pollution. On Friday, Airparif predicts a concentration of PM10 particles of between 45 and 55 μg/m3, i.e. a possible exceeding of the information and recommendation threshold, set at 50 μg/m3. This peak is due to weather conditions unfavorable to the dispersion of pollutants, which have led to an accumulation of pollution in recent days.
[#EpisodePollution] Forecast for 25.03
High levels of #particles are expected in the region, due to unfavorable weather conditions for the dispersion and accumulation of the #pollution for several days. 1/2
https://t.co/MLPWQa0ncJ pic.twitter.com/qeoYo2vZAG— Airparif (@Airparif) March 24, 2022
For vulnerable populations, Airparif recommends monitoring any respiratory discomfort and consulting a doctor if necessary. Long or strenuous outings are not recommended and it is best to avoid areas with heavy road traffic, especially during peak hours.
In order to reduce emissions for this day on Friday, the Prefecture of Police published a press release compiling the instructions to be followed. Regarding road traffic, it is in particular a question of postponing travel in Ile-de-France if possible.
Ideally, residents are encouraged to “use the possibilities put in place within professional establishments”, by using teleworking or the mobility plan, for example. Otherwise, it is advisable to use the least polluting vehicles or even to “prefer carpooling and alternative modes of transport to the car”.
Limit heating
Speed is also important since it is recommended to travel at 110 km/h on the sections of motorways normally limited to 130 km/h, at 90 km/h on the sections of motorways and expressways where the we usually travel at 110 km/h, and finally at 70 km/h where the highway code usually requires driving at 80 or 90 km/h. Heavy goods vehicles in transit whose total weight allowed in charge (GVW) exceeds 3.5 tonnes are also invited to “bypass the agglomeration by the Ile-de-France ring road.
Ile-de-France residents can also take action in terms of energy production and heating, in particular by limiting the use of the latter. The use of firewood is in particular not recommended since it “contributes very strongly to the emission of PM10”. The police headquarters also recommends “reducing the operation of fixed installations whose emissions contribute to the pollution episode”.
To limit emissions on this day, it is also advisable to avoid the burning of green waste in the open air. Also, the suspension of “possible derogatory authorizations” in this area is in order. The spreading of mineral or organic fertilizers must be postponed or, if this is not possible, carried out using “low ammonia emitting” processes. Finally, the effluents must be subjected to rapid burial and the postponement of soil work, if it is dry, is encouraged.
According to data from Airparif, the wind expected this weekend should allow an improvement in air quality in Ile-de-France. If this were not the case, the Prefecture of Police reserves the right to take the “restrictive measures” it deems necessary.