Fifty per cent improvement in Balearics air quality

The environment is benefiting from the state of emergency. | Packo Jacko

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma01/04/2020 15:57

Air quality in the Balearics has improved by 50% since the start of the state of emergency and has gone from being classified as good to excellent. Nitrogen oxide levels have decreased by 61% in Majorca, according to government data, while they are down 50% in Ibiza and 22% in Minorca.

The energy and climate change directorate is carrying out an ongoing study to assess the environmental impact of the state of emergency declaration, with nitrogen oxide contamination foremost in this study. It is the contaminant most representative of road traffic, and over the second fortnight of March there was a 61% decrease at the monitoring station on Calle Foners in Palma. Over the first fortnight it had been an average of 27 micrograms per cubic metre; this fell to eleven micrograms in the second half of the month.

The director general for energy and climate change, Aitor Urresti, says that nitrogen oxide levels are typically very low in any rate. But now, the air quality has improved to the point of being "excellent".

There are 21 monitoring stations in all - thirteen in Majorca, four in Minorca and four in Ibiza. They are positioned at what are considered to be the main contamination focal points on the islands.