On 25 June air pollution that affects the ozone layer, overtook the limits at which the population must be informed. However according to environmental protection association Quercus, the authorities did not make an announcement.
According to Lusa News Agency, the “QualAR” page on the Portuguese Environment Agency’s website confirmed the levels overtook the 180 micrograms per cubic metre limit at which, according to the law, information must be provided to the population about what measures should be taken.
In Vila Franca de Xira, the ozone levels reached 190.1 micrograms, and in Loures it reached 185.5 micrograms, according to the air quality data on the website.
On Saturday however, there was no information about that region or others such as Setúbal, the Alentejo and the Algarve.
Carla Graça, director of Quercus considers it “worrying” that no information was published by the Lisbon and Tagus Valley development commission (CCDR) on Saturday and told Lusa that she found it odd the on 26 June “with identical or worse meteorological conditions no data was available.”
Quercus has said that it will be including this issue in its agenda for a meeting with the Environment Minister, Assunção Cristas, highlighting that it is a matter of “public health.”
Mrs. Graça praised however the positive action carried out by the CCDR in the north, which published information to the population after high ozone values were detected over the weekend.
In a statement sent to Lusa, Paula Pinto, Director of Environmental Services at the CCDR in the North said that high concentrations were detected at various stations. The ozone concentration in the air rose to values between 214 and 218 micrograms at stations in Vermoim (Maia), Ermesinde (Valongo) and Avintes (Gaia).
“People who are most sensitive (children, the elderly, asthmatics and those with breathing problems) should avoid inhaling a large quantity of polluted air, especially during the hottest part of the day (in the afternoon),” said Paula Pinto.
For the same reason, outdoor physical activity should be reduced “to the minimum” as well as risk factors such as “tobacco smoke and the use of irritant products containing solvents, as they can aggravate the effects of exposure to concentrated ozone levels.”
