The English summary of the third report on “COVID 19 and Air Quality in the Po Valley is now  available for download.

In the first months of 2020, the health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent policy measures adopted have generated a drastic and sudden reduction of some sources of atmospheric pollution. The conditions were useful to test some actions to tackle air pollution in one of the most polluted areas of Europe, and, unfortunately, also dramatically affected by the health emergency.

In this context the PrepAIR Steering Committee  decided to carry out a specific study to evaluate the effect of lockdown measures on air quality. The analysis was conducted in three different phases  and this work represents the synthesis of the third one in which the chemical composition of PM10 is examined in the special stations of the project. The study aims to verify and consolidate the preliminary conclusions of the two previous reports and to obtain new elements of knowledge necessary to set up the next planning phase in terms of air quality.

The study was conducted by analyzing in particular two periods: pre-lockdown (January 2 – March 9) and lockdown (March 10 – May 18). To fight the rise of infection two DPCM (Prime Minister Decrees) put in place strictly national lockdown measures on 9th and 11th of March 2020. Lockdown restrictions have begun to be eased across Italy the 26th of April with a recovery of limited activities and the cessation of national restrictive measures on traffic within regional boundaries.

Click here to download the third report’s english summary.

The first two report are available here.