Legambiente. There are already 11 cities in Campania (Arpac data) that at the beginning of September have exceeded, with at least one monitoring station, the limit set for fine dust, i.e. the threshold of 35 days in the calendar year with an average daily PM10 higher than 50 micrograms/cubic meter. Fine dust affects especially the province of Naples: the black jersey with the record of exceedances is for San Vitaliano with 87 exceedances; followed by Pomigliano D' Arco with 70 days of exceedance and Volla with 68.
The other outlaw cities are Aversa(51); Acerra(49); Nocera Inferiore(45); Casoria(45); Portici(43); Avellino(39); Naples(35).
This is what emerges from the dossier “Mal'aria 2021 special edition – The costs of immobility” by Legambiente, as part of the Clean Cities campaign, in which the association reports the delays in the application of emergency measures and air cleanup plans, both by the Government and the main Italian Regions. Italy is at a crossroads: pay a billion-dollar fine for non-compliance to the European Commission, estimated at 1.5 to 2.3 billion euros, or act effectively and urgently to reduce pollution in our cities.
"For our country - denounces Mariateresa Imparato, regional president of Legambiente - it is time to get out of the logic of emergency and excuses that has characterized the last decades made of plans, words, promises - almost always unfulfilled - and excuses for not making decisions, even unpopular ones, to change the face of our cities and people's habits. Before the summer we sent a letter to the mayors of the outlaw municipalities where we urge them to implement actions to combat the phenomenon because the chatter is zero while the Pm10 is not yet.
A complex topic like air pollution must be addressed in a transversal and integrated way from multiple points of view. The actions to be introduced must be effective, incisive and long-lasting in order to begin to reverse the trend. In general, in the urban environment the two sectors that have the greatest impact are mobility and domestic heating, but in some cities industrial pollution or agriculture have a significant impact. A paradigm shift is more necessary than ever, certainly starting from these sectors.
The paradox is there for all to see: on the one hand, new trains continue to be inaugurated while on the same days the Vesuviana and Linea1 are experiencing disruptions and cancellations of services, while in Naples, extraordinary maintenance of the Galleria Vittoria, a fundamental artery of the city, is transformed into a snail's pace of work with a year-long closure and there is still no finish line in sight for users and citizens.”
The proposals. In the urban environment, the two sectors that have the greatest impact on the pollution rate are mobility and domestic heating, but in some cities industrial pollution or agriculture have a significant impact. To accelerate the ecological transition and start Italy "towards zero pollution", for the association it will be essential to jointly implement both urgent measures and structural reforms and works. In particular, among the urgent measures proposed, the following proposals stand out:
– on the topic of mobility, the circulation of the most polluting vehicles should be limited, bonuses and scrapping incentives for the purchase of combustion-engined cars should be introduced, and speed limits for pollution on roads and highways should be introduced.
– In the agricultural sector, the association calls for a ban on spreading liquid manure in the fields without immediate coverage.
– As for heating, it is necessary to progressively stop the use of diesel by September 2022 in polluted cities, immediately stop tax incentives or thermal account and ban the installation of wood or biomass stoves below 5 stars. Furthermore, the association supports and promotes the use of innovative technologies, starting with heat pumps.
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