Air Pollution Rises Concerns in Nuevo Leon

Authorities warn about rising air pollution levels in the state of Nuevo Leon. Specialists agree that improving air quality requires structural and sustained actions, as well as better information management to communicate with citizens and help them take preventive measures.

According to studies by Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL) and the Citizen Observatory on Air Quality, the winter season records the highest levels of pollutants due to atmospheric conditions and increased emissions from vehicles and industries. “In winter, the air stagnates and pollutants become trapped over the valley. Monterrey has complicated topography and a high vehicle density; that multiplies the problem,” explained Carlos Ramos, Researcher of the Atmospheric Pollution Laboratory, UANL.

Monitoring data from the Integrated Environmental Monitoring System (SIMA) shows that average concentrations of PM2.5, considered the most harmful to health, hover around 19µg/m³ in winter, while the World Health Organization recommends a limit of 5µg/m³. The Mexican standard (NOM-025) allows up to 12µg/m³, a threshold that Monterrey also exceeds.

The Mario Molina Center estimates that prolonged exposure to these pollutants causes more than 1,800 premature deaths each year in the metropolitan area, mainly due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. “Breathing dirty air not only irritates the lungs, it shortens life. The effects are cumulative and especially affect children, older adults, and people with chronic conditions,” warned experts from the National Institute of Public Health (INSP).

Governor Samuel García has attributed poor air quality to the activity of large companies, particularly in steel and cement, and has announced reductions of up to 40% in PM2.5 levels. However, SIMA data do not reflect sustained improvements. Meanwhile, civil organizations warn that the measures implemented are partial.

Experts agree that improving air quality requires structural and sustained actions: establishing a mandatory vehicle inspection program; renewing public transport with clean or electric units; demanding higher-quality fuels for the region; strengthening industrial oversight and quarry control; and integrating air quality into urban and mobility planning.

Selene Martínez, Executive Director, Citizen Observatory on Air Quality, stressed that what is most needed is reliable information to act appropriately. According to her, managing measures to improve air quality in the region requires intersectoral cooperation. “What we are seeing clearly at the Observatory is that a shared vision is starting to form, and each sector involved in air quality is starting to mobilize, which is very important to us,” she said.

Verónica Porras, Coordinator, Alerta Regia, reiterated that the newly created platform aims to inform the population using data from the Integrated Environmental Monitoring System. “The goal is to make this very technical information accessible so that everyone can understand it and take self-care measures,” she said.

Alerta Regia implements a simple visual system based on a color scale in line with regulations: green (good), yellow (acceptable), orange (poor), red (very poor), and purple (extremely poor). The platform will share updates three times a day, which will also be replicated on social media. When levels reach very poor or extremely poor conditions, an immediate notification system via WhatsApp will be activated.

“Each person will be able to join these communities, which will cover all municipalities according to the 15 monitoring stations. This way, if air quality reaches very high levels of pollution, people will have useful and timely information to protect themselves. In addition, they will be able to share this information on their social networks, helping to protect others and encouraging them to take preventive measures,” said Porras.

Additionally, an educational website has been created to explain the pollutants being monitored and to provide detailed protection recommendations.