Air Pollution Peaks in Paris and Ile-de-France Region, France

On February 3rd, Paris and the entire Ile-de-France region experienced a spike in air pollution. Breezy conditions and cooler temperatures led to a build-up of fine particles in the air, and according to airparif, the Île-de-France air quality monitoring agency, pollution levels were likely to have exceeded the Information and Recommendations Threshold (IRT) of 50 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3). The Paris Police Department has issued a series of recommendations to the public on how to deal with the situation, including reducing road trips, prioritizing vehicles with lower emissions, reducing driving speeds, and reducing the use of wood for heating.