The News
Saturday 07 of December 2024

Poor Air Quality in the Valley of Mexico


Air quality in the Valley of Mexico remains poor,photo: Notimex/Nicolás Tavira
Air quality in the Valley of Mexico remains poor,photo: Notimex/Nicolás Tavira
The Simat recommended limiting prolonged outdoor exertion

A week after the Environmental Contingency program was implemented, air quality remains poor throughout the Valley of Mexico. Tuesday morning, the Atmospheric Monitoring System (Simat) reported that three out of the five zones that make up the Valley of Mexico showed more than 100 Metropolitan Index of Air Quality (Imeca) units.

Imeca units are the reference value for the levels of pollution for the inhabitants of Mexico City and the rest of the Valley of Mexico. When the Imeca index is between 0 and 50 units, the air quality is considered “good.” Between 51 and 100 units, air quality is “regular.” Between 101 and 150 units, air quality is “bad.” Between 151 and 200 units, air quality is “very bad.” Finally, when the index is over 201 units, air quality is “extremely bad.”

The agency said that the Northeast area of the valley reported 110 Imeca units; the Northwest and the Southeast areas reported 103 units; the Center area reported 96 units; and the Southwest area reported 63 units.

Given this, the agency recommended limiting prolonged outdoor exertion in order to protect the health of children, the elderly, people who regularly perform intense outdoors physical activity or those with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

According to another Simat forecast, the intensity of solar UV radiation will be very high to extremely high between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., with a maximum UV index of 11.