Air pollution in large urban centers is one of the main concerns for the health of millions of people. Buenos Aires is not exempt from this issue. Although for much of the year it records pollution levels that exceed the WHO (World Health Organization) recommendations, there are months when the degree of toxicity is significantly more dangerous.
According to the latest annual report from the Swiss firm IQAir – which compiles measurements from throughout 2024 – the air in the Argentine capital was more polluted in the months of May, June, and July. The peak occurred in July, where a concentration of 23.2 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³) of PM2.5 particles was recorded, almost five times the limit established by the WHO (5 μg/m³).
Exposure to PM2.5 contributes to the onset and worsening of respiratory diseases and cardiovascular conditions. In contrast to the mid-year levels, in November (5 μg/m³) and December (4.5 μg/m³), air quality in Buenos Aires was within the parameters suggested as safe for health.
Causes of Pollution
The main cause of air pollution in Buenos Aires is the combustion of fossil fuels mainly linked to the automotive fleet, stated Pablo Evelson, dean professor of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA).
Other factors affecting air quality are industrial processes, heating systems, waste incineration, among others.
It is worth mentioning that the study shows a gradual improvement compared to measurements from previous years. In 2022, Buenos Aires had an annual average particle concentration of 14.2 μg/m³, and in 2023, it measured 9.6 μg/m³.
Although the pollution record in Buenos Aires for July was the highest in the country during 2024, in the year-end Buenos Aires was not the most polluted city in Argentina. While the capital had an annual average of 8.9 μg/m³, Rafaela reached an average of 11.5 μg/m³. The city in the northern province of Santa Fe had peak concentrations of toxic particles between July and September.
Other Argentine cities included in this monitoring are General Pico (La Pampa) and Mendoza with lower annual averages (6.7 and 5.1 μg/m³ respectively).
The Right to Clean Air
The IQAir 2024 study included 8954 cities from 138 countries. The data comes from 40,000 air control stations located in various parts of the planet. The research identified that only 17% of the monitored cities met the recommendation level set by the WHO for PM2.5 particle concentrations.
Globally, the most affected locations in the ranking were in India, where cities like Byrnihat, Delhi, and Mullanpur had PM2.5 concentrations exceeding 100 μg/m³.
Measuring air quality is vital for human health. In 2022, the United Nations declared that access to healthy air is a universal human right. Despite this, according to the WHO, 99% of the world’s population is concentrated in areas that do not meet recommended air quality levels.
