Vehicles blamed for up to 80% of Tehran’s air pollution: Report
Figures released by Iran’s Environment Protection Organization show that motor vehicles are responsible for as much as 80% of air pollution in the capital, Tehran.
Data cited in a Saturday report by the Fars news agency indicate that the level of carcinogenic benzene in gasoline consumed in Tehran has at times reached up to 2.5 times the internationally accepted standard.
The report said government agencies responsible for regulating vehicle emissions have eased enforcement of fuel-quality standards since the early 2010s, resulting in a significant rise in sulphur content in diesel fuel used by trucks and pickup vehicles.
According to the report, nearly three million aging cars and motorcycles operate in Tehran, producing between 10 and 30 times more pollution than newer vehicles.
The figures show that trucks and pickups account for about 15% of particulate matter pollution in Tehran’s air, while motorcycles contribute roughly 10 to 20%, and privately owned cars about 14%.
The data were published as air quality in Tehran has recently returned to relatively normal levels following nearly two weeks of severe pollution that prompted authorities to order temporary closures of schools, universities, and some bank branches.
During the worst days of the episode in late November, Tehran’s air quality index (AQI) climbed to around 180, placing it in the “unhealthy” category.
Tehran typically experiences poor air quality during early and mid-autumn, when falling temperatures and stagnant weather conditions allow pollutants to accumulate over the city.
Authorities and environmental activists largely attribute the pollution to emissions from aging vehicles, as well as output from refineries, power plants, and other industrial facilities.
At the same time, Tehran province is experiencing one of its driest periods in decades. According to Iran’s Energy Ministry, the province recorded less than one millimeter of rainfall from the start of the water year in late September until precipitation began in early October.
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