There Lombardy, one of the most productive regions in Italy, is facing an environmental challenge of unexpected proportions. According to the physicist and professor of environmental engineering at the University of Southern California, Constantinos Sioutasthe region has recorded levels of toxic and carcinogenic substances in the air four times higher to those of Los Angeles during the winter between 2022 and 2023.
Although technological advances and environmental policies have contributed to reducing the impact of traffic on air pollution for about twenty years, Sioutas highlights that in the last five years it has been achieved a stalemate point. Current technologies, especially those applied to diesel engines, they appear to no longer be able to reduce emissions further.
A photo of Los Angeles covered in smog
The situation worsened during the winter months, when the heaters are turned on and contribute significantly to the increase in harmful substances in the atmosphere. In Milan and Lombardy, this combination of factors has led to an extremely high level of pollution, despite the fact that the city has fewer vehicles in circulation than Los Angeles, where there are 9 million cars and half a million diesel trucks.
These alarming data raise critical questions about the sustainability of current urban practices and the need to innovate pollution reduction strategies. Lombardy is faced with the need to review their environmental policies and to invest in more effective solutions to guarantee the health of its citizens and the quality of the air they breathe.
Tags: Pollution Lombardy levels toxic substances times higher Los Angeles Turin News
