Pollution in Monterrey: Is it Just the Cadereyta Refinery?

If you live in Monterrey, you are probably already aware that the Cadereyta refinery is a major source of environmental pollution. This awareness has arisen recently from the #airelimpio movement, and concrete actions that seek to mitigate the damage caused to the environment by it. However, and perhaps precisely because of the strength that this topic of discussion has taken on in the solutions table, today I question how much we are really addressing the problem, as we can't just keep worrying about it. I wonder if the actions that are being planned regarding the Cadereyta refinery are also being taken in other areas. The problem of pollution is multifactorial, and all of us who inhabit and/or have economic interests in the great metropolis of Monterrey must be part of the solution.

Let's start by talking about the problem. The problem arises from the fact that energy consumption and per capita income, in any economy, are highly correlated. This correlation and the human desire to always live more comfortably are causing us to continue releasing polluting particles into the atmosphere on a scale in which the lives of inhabitants in the city of Monterrey are literally in danger. We are all suffering a slow death.

Today, the main pollutants are ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The latter two are the main causes of the smog we suffer from. There are two types of smog: sulfurous (London-type) and photochemical (Los Angeles-type). The sulfurous, as its name suggests, is caused by elements with sulfur content, the product of burning fossil fuels high in sulfur (fuel oil and diesel mainly in our case), or as we saw during mid-March 2023, emanations of particles that, according to environmental experts, contain sulfur and come from the Cadereyta refinery, in this case sulfur dioxide, and the photochemical that is predominant in urban areas with a large number of cars and originates from the combination of nitrogen dioxide and air humidity (Leal-Iga, 2023) (Sokolik).

So we can box in the emissions of these pollutants into three main categories: Cadereyta Refinery, vehicular fleet (private, public, cargo transport, railway and road, and aviation), and industry, within which we will also have to include mining, which in Monterrey we commonly refer to as pedreras, or quarries.

Let's talk first about the Cadereyta refinery, simply because it is the current topic for the population of Monterrey. Can it really be shut down? Theoretically, yes. However, since it would stop the production of fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, which drive the entire economy of the northeastern region of the country, a transport logistics, unlike anyone has ever been seen in Mexico, in order to maintain the supply of these fuels. Can it be relocated? Theoretically, yes. However, it requires an investment, surely equal to or greater than the real one exercised and/or projected for Dos Bocas. What could be done perhaps? Firstly, the refinery must operate properly, complying with the strictest emissions standards applicable in Mexico. I would then consider building a fuel reception and storage terminal in Matamoros/Altamira/Tampico, then importing these fuels from US refineries on the Gulf of Mexico coast and transporting them to the Cadereyta refinery via pipelines currently in operation, or simply transporting them through the existing border entry pipelines from the US and, if necessary, building more. With this last action, the Cadereyta refinery could, theoretically, be closed. But to simply shut down the refinery just like that, without taking actions to prevent the economy of the northeastern part of the country from coming to a halt, is simply not possible.

Emissions from the Cadereyta Refinery in mid-March 2023 had a clear yellow color consistent with the presence of sulfur.

The vehicular fleet is another major contributor, probably even greater than the Cadereyta refinery, due to its volume of emissions, although both are equally important in the pollution that we are experiencing in the city today. In this regard, I believe we should look to cities that have managed to reduce pollution, such as Los Angeles. The actions that the California government has been taking since the ‘80s, and currently 12 other states in the USare following, include progressive efficiency standards by law for vehicles, which are currently set at 54.5 miles per gallon (23.2 km per liter) for 2025 in California. Secondly, an annual mandatory emissions check for vehicles. Thirdly, progressive standards over time for the percentages of hybrid and electric vehicles that must be sold in the state by automakers. And finally, emissions standards for public transportation, cargo, freight trains, and aviation, in addition to annual emissions checks.

Lastly, we need the state's health and environmental agency to have sufficient staff to conduct emissions inspections of both industry and all vehicles.  Self-generated reports by companies or industries are not enough. We need to have surveillance and strict enforcement of sanctions and penalties, including closure, for those who fail to comply. It's that simple.

We are all part of the problem and, therefore, we all have to be part of the solution. The solution, which I have tried to outline from my perspective here, is not simple, but there would have to be a master plan that we all unconditionally support. We need to move away from the rhetoric that this will be very costly for industry and for private interests. We need to start considering the cost in terms of human lives lost or shortened by this pollution. Hopefully, in 10 years, we can look back and remember what the pollution was like in Monterrey and see the blue sky again every day.