Three in Four Air Quality Monitors Misplaced, Hiding True Scale of Traffic Pollution, Report Warns

Summary

Spanish environmental group Ecologistas en Acción has found that three in four urban air quality monitoring stations are poorly sited, allowing cities to systematically underreport traffic-related pollution. The group analysed 25 monitoring stations against the criteria set out in the new EU air quality directive and is calling on the Spanish government to compel local authorities to relocate the non-compliant sensors. Critics say the misplacement allows cities to present misleadingly low pollution readings to the public and regulators.

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