Impact due to air quality would amount to $12.2 billion

In recent days, there has been a debate about the air quality of Colombians. In the Sixth Commission, the first political control debate was held in this regard, in which the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad, and the representative to the Chamber, Daniel Cavalho, among other leaders, participated.

However, the figures are alarming when it comes to air quality in Colombia. According to Minister Susana Muhamad, 80% of polluting emissions come from mobile sources, “That is why a deal must be made with the cargo transport sector for productive reconversion that includes other types of technologies to generate important impacts.”, he assured.

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On the other hand, the representative to the Chamber, stated that according to data from the National Institute of Health (INS), at least 15,681 deaths a year in the country are associated with poor air quality.

In this regard, Greenpeace assures that only last year, attributed 3,400 deaths in Bogotá to this situation, por Causes of diseases such as: strokes, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, lung cancer, respiratory tract infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In economic matters, according to representative Cavalho, it is estimated that the impact for this reason can amount to $12.2 billion annuallywhich is the equivalent of half a tax reform or 1.5% of GDP.

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“When you get sick due to the quality of the air with respiratory diseases, that is going to directly impact the health system, it is not only the one who died, the whole time of illness and even if you are not going to die, the only disease it also costs the health system (…) the economic argument also helps us measure the impact of air quality in the country’s cities”, said the representative.

According to IQAir, the average concentration of PM2.5 in the country is 2.8 times the annual WHO air quality guideline value. This reading places Colombia in a range of “moderate” contamination.

It should be remembered that PM10 are particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter that can be inhaled and accumulate in the respiratory system. Likewise, PM2.5 are particles of less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter and they are what are commonly known as “fine particles”, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
According to the ranking of the most polluted cities in Colombia, Envigado, Antioquia occupies the number one position of the city with the most pollution and the Air Quality Index (ICA, measurement of the United States) of 94.

Continuing with the ranking, second place is held by Itagüí, which has an ICA of 86 and ranks second in the ranking.

The list is continued by the city from Bucaramanga with an ICA of 83, while position four is occupied by Cota with an index of 82. Within the measurement, Bello is in position five, with an ICA of 72 in air quality.

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In the same way, Medellín follows in sixth place (ICA 66), as well as Caldas in seventh position (ICA 65). For eighth place is Manizales (ICA 64), ninth Girardota (ICA 62) and Bogotá in tenth position (ICA 59).

In 2021, Antioquia ranked first with Medellín being the most polluted city, with a concentration of PM2.5. In contrast, Guarne, Antioquia is the cleanest according to IQAir.

Diana K. Rodriguez T.