Brazil has made little progress in adopting air quality standards and protecting the health of its population during critical pollution periods, according to the Air Quality Alert study. The research, conducted by the Alana Institute and the R Institute, analyzed pollution situations in Brazil and the adoption of emergency action plans in eight other countries: Chile, Colombia and Ecuador (South America); the United States and Mexico (North America); and Spain, France and England (Europe).
According to Evangelina Araujo, a researcher at the Ar Institute, each country is responsible for formulating the rules that will be adopted in critical periods, that is, when there is an emission of polluting gases that is much higher than what has been set as a quality standard. When these levels are reached, there must be an action plan. “In Brazil, the quality standards are set according to standards dating back to 1990, so let’s say they are 34 years old.”
Based on comparisons with other countries, the study concluded that Brazil, along with Ecuador, experienced the most dangerous periods of air pollution. “In November last year, the level of particulate matter in Manaus, due to fires, reached 400 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3), while the World Health Organization recommends that the level should not exceed 45 µg/m3,” he says.
The research also pointed out that the levels set as quality standards are too lenient and that the federal units and the state itself do not have action plans to protect the health of the population and the environment. “In Paris, for example, if the critical ring level is activated, cars no longer drive in the high-traffic area in the city center, they prohibit driving. They offer free metro so that people can take the metro and stop taking buses and use their cars. They ask children not to go to school, to stay at home, everything to protect their health,” he explains.
According to Evangelina, these measures are part of a protocol that provides initiatives for every moment when air pollution levels change, separated by levels of concern, alert and emergency. These measures range from warning when the indicator changes, to more stringent protocols such as interrupting factory production, if the level exceeds what has been defined as an emergency quality standard.
According to the researcher, although the World Health Organization does not set a standard for emergency measures, the institution takes into account acceptable levels of pollutant concentrations, for example, up to 45 μg/m3 of particles in the air over 24 hours, and up to 15 μg/m3 on an annual average. In Brazil, levels up to three times what is recommended are acceptable, according to standards set in 1990.
According to the study, national laws in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain and France set critical pollution levels. Mexico and the United States have established regional rules.
In Brazil, this issue has been addressed through extralegal means, with less force than the law. Resolution 506/2024 of the National Environmental Council (CONAMA) updated national air quality standards and established guidelines for their application, with the aim of protecting health and the environment.
predecessor
The new rule will begin aligning national standards with WHO standards in December this year, with gradual adjustments until 2044, to achieve the recommended standards. For the director of nature at the Alana Institute, JP Amaral, the deadlines were very positive, but there is still a long process to go through. “We have a journey of about 20 years to reach this standard, which would be ideal today for our air quality.”
Amaral says the study is designed to support this debate and build public policies to address the problem, such as the National Air Quality Policy, which was created in May of this year. “Conama will do one part – to identify these levels of critical episodes and also the measures that states and municipalities need to take to get this action plan, because this plan has to be implemented in all areas, but it is a very regional problem,” he explains.
The study shows this diversity of different actions adopted as a strategy to protect populations from each air pollutant, and in each type of environment. “How we respond to increased air pollution due to fires in the Amazon, in Manaus, for example, is different from how we respond to increased pollution due to vehicle emissions in São Paulo and other major cities,” he explains.
According to the director, another announcement received when the survey was delivered to federal directors-general is that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change is creating a technical guide for action plans in critical episodes, to help states and municipalities.
Guidelines
Amaral highlights that no less important than developing public policies and regulating rules that deal with air quality, is understanding that the effects of polluting gas emissions can no longer be contained, like climate change itself. For him, adaptation is necessary on several fronts, such as the search for large-scale solutions in municipal, state and federal administrations, but also in individual practices.
“These are practices we already know. On very dense days with smog, it is recommended to use a mask. That old grandmother’s technique of using a wet towel or a bucket to humidify our environment. Sometimes it will be necessary to isolate this pollution from the outside by closing the windows. And the most important thing, when talking specifically about children, is that the best solution for this is always to provide more nature. Take the children to a more forested environment and away from urban centers, so that they can enjoy some pollution-free breathing.
