Particulate Matter Monitoring Project in Ñuble

Original News Source: CHILLANONLINE / RADIO CHILLANONLINE. Cover Image: Los Lleuques, Ñuble Region.

With the aim of gathering information about air quality in 5 municipalities of the Ñuble Region, the Regional Ministry of the Environment has launched the Pilot Project for Particulate Matter Monitoring by providing measuring equipment to the municipalities of Pinto, Quillón, El Carmen, Yungay, and Chillán.

"These strategic locations will allow us to obtain relevant data about air quality in the region, which is essential for making informed decisions and developing effective environmental protection strategies in the context of air pollution caused by wood heating," stated the Regional Minister of the Environment, Mario Rivas.

Additionally, this project will contribute to the declaration of a Saturated Zone for PM2.5 (particulate matter) and its corresponding Atmospheric Decontamination Plan in the macrozone of the Central Valley of Ñuble, covering 11 municipalities. When combined with Chillán and Chillán Viejo (covered by the current PM10 Decontamination Plan), this represents over 80% of the region's population, who will be governed by this regulatory tool, which is the Atmospheric Decontamination Plan.

Over the next 4 months of the project's duration, a substantial amount of data on particulate matter concentration in the monitored areas will be collected. These data will be analyzed and evaluated alongside historical data to establish a stronger foundation for modeling and projecting the behavior of environmental variables associated with pollutant concentrations in the region.

Rivas added,

"The pilot project for particulate matter monitoring in Ñuble is an example of the commitment of the Ñuble Regional Ministry of the Environment to improving air quality in the region. This initiative reinforces our mission to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote responsible practices in our region."

Yungay Mayor Rafael Cifuentes stated,

"This initiative represents a significant step towards more effective and sustainable environmental management in our community of Yungay. The incorporation of this tool will allow us to promote practices that contribute to environmental care and the well-being of our residents. We are very grateful to Regional Minister of the Environment, Mario Rivas, who included our municipality in the equipment distribution, demonstrating his commitment to environmental care, which is a responsibility we all share. Our municipality will also continue working on initiatives that promote a better quality of life for its residents and contribute to the protection of our environment."

The monitoring project is made possible with the support of AirFlux, a company that develops this new low-cost technology. The CEO of the organization, Yeanice Vásquez, highlighted the importance of having scientific support in important environmental processes within communities, where she emphasized,

"Our monitoring solution for smart cities provides real-time information on air quality status, allowing efficient management of environmental issues with the support of science."

It's worth noting that the data will be available on their public platform https://map.airflux.cl/, where the sensor information from the INIA reference station (Chillán) and the Pinto municipality is already viewable in real-time. The data for the municipalities of Quillón, El Carmen, and Yungay will be made available in the coming days.

Regional Ministry of the Environment, Ñuble Region.