14 DAY TRIAL // France's capital is now dealing with an air pollution crisis. Information shared with the public says that local concentrations of airborne fine particulate matter have reached the highest of the five levels on the country's pollution index, and that officials have decided to put the city under alert.
According to Bloomberg, the air pollutants now hovering over the French capital have caused the city to be engulfed by a very thick smog. More precisely, air concentrations of fine particulate matter are said to revolve around 100 micrograms per cubic meter.
Apparently, this year's smog is the worst that Paris has experienced since 2007. “The current period of pollution is equivalent to one last experienced in 2007,” Arthur de Pas, a spokesman for Paris-based Airparif, reportedly told the publication by phone.
Unlike China, which is now dealing with a so-called airpocalypse as a result of its relying heavily on coal for energy, Paris ended up experiencing this pollution crisis due to the fact that a tad too much diesel exhaust fumes have worked their way into the local air.
The same source tells us that, because of the very cold weather that hit the city, these diesel fumes became entrapped. The result was the formation of very severe smog.
In an attempt to solve the crisis, the country's high officials have asked that people do not drive diesel vehicles that do not have proper filters unless they absolutely must. People living in the city are not to light up wood fireplaces either. Besides, they are urged to reduce auto speeds on main roads.
It is said that Paris has the country's very low taxes on diesel fuel to blame for this spike in local airborne concentrations of pollutants. Thus, Deputy Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has pointed the finger at “irresponsible policies” that promote the intensive use of diesel fuel among the country's residents.