A concerning increase in levels of PM10 and fine particulate matter has been recorded throughout the Po Valley, with values nearly doubling in many areas of Lombardy since Saturday. Monitoring stations of ARPA Lombardia have reported peaks of ultrafine particulate matter reaching up to 100 micrograms per cubic meter, a figure well above the safety limit set by the WHO at 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Legambiente has issued a warning about air quality, labeling it toxic and emphasizing that only weather conditions such as rain or wind could bring about an improvement.
Despite long-term improvements in pollution data, Barbara Meggetto, president of Legambiente Lombardia, has criticized the inadequacy of emergency measures implemented in the region. While other regions such as Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna have adopted measures to limit traffic and agricultural emissions, Lombardy has not enforced similar restrictions. The situation is further exacerbated by the significant presence of intensive farming, which contributes substantially to the production of ammonia and volatile compounds responsible for the formation of particulate matter.
