Air quality in Pesaro

What is the current level of air pollution in Pesaro?

Pesaro is a city and commune in the Italian region of Marche, capital of the Province of Pesaro e Urbino. It is located on the east coast on the Adriatic Sea. A survey which was conducted in 2011 determined the population to be approximately 95,000 people.

Towards the end of 2021, Pesaro was experiencing a period of “Moderate” air quality with a US AQI reading of 54. This reading is often used as a reference point when comparing air quality in other cities around the world. Data is collected with regards to the six most prolific air pollutants commonly found and this figure is calculated from there. If information is not available for all six, then a figure can be deduced using the information that is available. In the case of Pesaro, there were two pollutants that were recorded. These were PM2.5 - 13.5 µg/m³ and carbon monoxide (CO) - 0.5 µg/m³.

This PM2.5 level can be seen to be one and a half times higher than the suggested level of 10 µg/m³. This level has been determined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as being an acceptable level of air pollution, although no level is to be considered as being safe.

When the air quality is classified as being “Moderate” the given advice would be to remain indoors as much as possible and close all doors and windows to prevent more polluted air from entering. Those of a sensitive disposition should avoid unnecessary ventures outside until the air quality shows signs of improvement.

There is a mobile app available from AirVisual.com for most operating systems. This free all informs you of the state of the air in real-time and thus will help you decide what to do or where to go.

Does the level of air pollution vary throughout the year in Pesaro?

Looking back at the figures for 2020, published by IQAir.com, it can easily be seen that from May until the end of October, the air quality was below the 10 µg/m³ WHO target figure. The month of June produced a very low reading of just 4.8 µg/m³. April saw a figure from the “Good” category which was 11 µg/m³. February and March and November and December all returned figures from the “Moderate” group with recordings between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. The month of January produced the poorest air quality with a reading of 42.1 µg/m³ which was classified as being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups”.

Historically, records pertaining to air pollution were first kept in 2019 when a figure of 16.8 µg/m³ was recorded. This was followed by a very slight improvement in 2020 when the reading then was 16.3 µg/m³. This could be due to the measures imposed in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Many motorists were no longer required to commute to their offices each day which reduced air pollution in the city centres dramatically. There were also some factories and similar production units which were told to close on a temporary basis. Many cities throughout the world noted how much cleaner their city air was because of these measures.

Is there a main source of air pollution in Pesaro?

The main causes of urban pollution are now clearly identified in traffic, industrial plants, building heating and energy production.

Local climatic conditions favour the persistence of pollutant concentrations in the city. Windiness, humidity, fog, rain, the tendency to occur phenomena of thermal inversion can accentuate or reduce the phenomenon.

One of the main sources of fine particles derived from human activity is the internal combustion engine of cars. Especially with the lowest temperatures and the absence of atmospheric precipitation, fine particles accumulate on the ground and remain there for several days. Added to this is the abrasion of brakes and tyres and the lifting of dust from the ground.

Others responsible for a large production of fine dust are heating systems, boilers, pellet stoves and fireplaces, which disperse fumes and soot into the atmosphere. In the same way, thermal power plants and industrial processes also emit particulate matter, as well as intensive farming is a source of fine dust such as nitrate and ammonium sulphate.

What can be done to improve air quality in Pesaro?

Our cities are suffocating from smog, and our lungs are suffering because of it. One of the main culprits of this situation is the nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) emitted by means of transport and, in particular, by diesel cars. Recent studies show that exposure to nitrogen dioxide causes 75,000 premature deaths in Europe, 17,000 in Italy alone. The most affected are mainly children and pregnant women.

It's time to abandon fossil mobility and revolutionise our cities!

The cities of the future will have to be designed for people and not cars. They will have to have more green areas, more spaces for socialising, efficient public transport, infrastructures for pedestrian and cycling mobility. They will be cities with less smog and fewer parking spaces.

A restricted traffic zone stops the most polluting vehicles travelling in an area and reduces pollution. Low Emission Zones can have a significant impact on air pollution. However, they often don't solve the problem alone, other measures are also needed.

Emergency traffic restrictions in periods of high pollution, for example banning all or specific vehicles, diesel bans, allowing only alternating number plates on odd or even days could help solve the problem.

What are the detrimental effects to human health through polluted air?

The danger of fine dust is linked to their main feature: the very small size that allows these microparticles to overcome the natural defences of our bodies. The smaller these particles are, the more they are able to enter the body, until they reach the bloodstream as well as the lungs.

The coarse particulates, for example, have dimensions greater than 10 microns and therefore are not able to penetrate the respiratory tract, while PM10 is an inhalable dust and therefore as it decreases its size overcomes the natural barriers of the body, it settles in the bronchioles, at the bottom of the lungs up to the alveoli and then enters the bloodstream.