The ATMO index which measures air quality in France is now aligned with European codes. The measurements are made at the level of the municipality and no longer at that of the agglomeration. They will also concern even finer particles.
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The ATMO index, which has been measuring air quality in France since 1994, has seen some changes since Monday, December 28, 2020.
According to Christophe Legrand, deputy director ofATMO Normandy, the objective of this approach is to meet European standards, to better inform and alert the population but also to make them aware of the changes necessary in the event of certain episodes of pollution.
Upgrading to European standards
Modeling and spatial representation techniques now allow this index to evolve towards greater precision and efficiency. These changes relate to 5 essential points.
The new ATMO index is in the colors of the European index (according to the ministerial decree of July 10, 2020) and now takes into account a 5th pollutant (PM2.5 particles) and gives forecasts at the municipal level on everything the Norman territory and no longer only for the large agglomerations.
You can also consult the daily forecast maps (updated throughout the day) and subscribe to the ATMO Normandie air bulletin. Everyone will be able to receive the current or planned pollution index depending on their place of residence.
New Atmo index since January 1, 2021
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All the Normandy territory concerned
Until now, information on air quality was addressed directly to the inhabitants of agglomerations with more than 100,000 inhabitants. This is no longer the case with this new index.
Because pollution moves with the winds and does not stop at the gates of towns, it was important to also inform residents in peripheral or rural areas. It is now done. Not thanks to a multiplication of sensors on the territory but rather thanks to new tools which allow a modeling and a spatilization of the air quality on the Normandy territory.
End of the numbers! Long live emoticons!
The new ATMO index: there will no longer be a number but only a qualifier and a color (according to the ministerial decree of July 10, 2020).
© ATMO Normandy
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Good, average, degraded, bad, very bad or extremely bad … the pollution is now available in 6 emoticons of different aspects and colors
3rd cause of death in France
According to the National Public Health Agency, pollution causes the premature death of 48,000 people in France each year. After tobacco and alcohol, it is the 3rd cause of death in our country.
By acquiring this new tool, the authorities therefore intend to alert but also to educate the French about this pollution and encourage them to make some changes in behavior.
Air qualification will inevitably be degraded
According to Christophe Legrand, deputy director of ATMO Normandie, this new way of measuring pollution in France and Normandy will have repercussions on the pollution assessments on our territory.
It’s not that the air will necessarily be more polluted than before. This is the way to put a qualifier on the air quality which evolves.
Since the criteria are becoming stricter and more precise, we should therefore expect to have degraded figures right now.
According to him, the number of days classified as “bad or very bad” will be multiplied by 4 or 5 in Normandy.
Still by way of example, he points out that if this new European standard had been applied in previous years, the 80% of days which were placed in “good” air quality would today be classified as air quality. looks “average”.
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