Air quality continues to deteriorate significantly in Hauts-de-France. This Friday, January 17, ATMO warned of a bad index in the north of the region and in Amiens, due to high concentrations of PM2.5 particles. A worsening is expected on Saturday, with pollutants continuing to accumulate in the atmosphere.
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The air that the inhabitants of Hauts-de-France breathe is getting heavier. According to ATMO, the air quality index is poor in the north of the region, from Dunkirk to Valenciennes, via Arras, as well as in the Amiens metropolis, this Friday January 17. The rest of the territory displays an index varying between average and degraded, a worrying situation caused by high concentrations of fine PM2.5 particles.
PM means “particulate matter“, fine particles in English. These values are expressed in microns, that is to say that PM2.5 are particles with a diameter less than 2.5 microns. In the same way, PM10 has a diameter less than 10 microns When we know that one micron = 0.001 millimeter, we can say that PM2.5 and PM10 are very very fine particles. It is this size that makes them particularly dangerous for. health, because they can easily penetrate deep into the respiratory tract and lungs.
ATMO anticipates a worsening of the situation from Saturday January 18. The poor index will increase over a larger part of Hauts-de-France, due to atmospheric conditions not conducive to the dispersion of pollutants. PM2.5 particles will continue to play a determining role in this degradation.
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“Current weather conditions (absence of wind and stable temperatures) favor the accumulation of pollutants in the air, particularly fine particles.“, explains ATMO Hauts-de-France.
This situation is part of a series of pollution episodes reported this week. On Monday, the Nord and Pas-de-Calais were already placed on PM10 particle pollution alert. On Wednesday, Oise joined the list of departments concerned.
These fine particles, mainly from industrial heating, transport and industrial activities, represent a health hazard, in particular for vulnerable people, children, the elderly, asthmatics or suffering from respiratory diseases.
ATMO reminds you of some essential actions to limit exposure:
- Reduce intense physical activities outdoors.
- Favor traveling on foot or by bike to limit emissions linked to automobile traffic.
- Avoid the use of wood stoves or fireplaces, significant sources of fine particles.
These episodes of pollution remind us of the urgency of adopting structural measures to sustainably reduce polluting emissions. The transition to less polluting heating methods and the development of soft mobility are among the solutions envisaged to improve air quality.
