Mexico City to expand air quality monitoring; will start with 10 sites in Iztapalapa

Mexico City's Environment Secretariat (Sedema) is launching a project to expand the capital's air quality monitoring network. The initiative will utilize low-cost sensors to provide more detailed spatial data on pollution levels, particularly focusing on fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

The first phase of this project will be implemented in the Iztapalapa delegation, where 10 new measurement sites will be installed. This area has been selected due to its high population density and significant social and economic vulnerability, aligning with a framework of environmental justice. The new sensors are designed to identify pollution variations with greater spatial resolution than the current Sistema de Monitoreo Atmosférico (SIMAT).

Sedema clarified that these new, lighter, and smaller sensors will not replace the existing SIMAT equipment, which operates on different principles. However, their portability allows for installation in locations currently lacking monitoring stations. Data collected by the new sensors will undergo acceptance and comparison tests at a regulatory station.

This project is part of the Breathe Cities initiative and receives technical support from the Clean Air Institute. The generated data will inform the gradual expansion of regulatory monitoring, prioritizing areas with high population density, vulnerable communities, industrial and traffic corridors, as well as schools and hospitals. The goal is to ensure that public information effectively protects those facing the greatest environmental risks.