The pollution episode in the Lyon basin continues this Tuesday. A fog of pollution visible above Lyon, a direct consequence of unfavorable weather and overuse of wood heaters.
A gray plume has taken up residence in the Lyon basin and seems to want to stay. This Tuesday, January 21 marks the sixth day of fine particle pollution in the metropolis, placed on orange alert since Friday.
A situation that drags on for residents. “It’s scary, but we’re used to it,” agrees a Lyonnais. “We are used, unfortunately, to States doing nothing,” chants Sylvie, a resident of Saint-Just. “Pollution is getting worse instead of less.”
Others, on the contrary, do not pay attention to it. “It’s not something that’s on my mind too much,” admits Sébastien. “But maybe I should worry about that more.”
Wood heating and the weather involved
Currently, the concentration of fine particles in the air exceeds the threshold of 50 micrograms per cubic meter. “We have poor air quality which is centered on the Lyon metropolitan area,” shows Raphaël Desfontaines, territorial correspondent for the observer Atmo.
“It is also linked to a high concentration of pollution sources in the territory, and then also the favorable weather conditions,” he explains. “The absence of wind causes pollutants to accumulate.”
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The main culprit is also a tool in high demand in January: wood heating which emits almost 75% of fine particles. The metropolis of Lyon has already banned open fireplaces, but experts believe that there is room for improvement to reduce the phenomenon of pollution.
“When you use a heating system like that, you have to try to replace it with something very efficient to avoid pollutant emissions,” adds Raphaël Desfontaines.
This Tuesday, the indices began to fall and suggest more breathable air. The arrival of a disturbance will favor the phenomenon and disperse the pollutants from Wednesday in the region, thus marking the end of the ongoing pollution vigilance, specifies Atmo.
Raphaël Blandamour, with Juliette Moreau Alvarez
