Mexico City and the State of Mexico at odds over pollutant emissions

The municipalities of the State of Mexico that are part of the metropolitan area of the Valley of Mexico pollute more than Mexico City as a whole.
Preliminary data of the 2012-2014 emissions register created by Mexico City's Ministry of the Environment to which EL UNIVERSAL had access revealed that in the State of Mexico, industries, vehicles, public and freight transport, gas stations, small businesses such as dry cleaners and even pet feces are responsible for 1.28 million tons of pollutant emissions.

Mexico City emits 936,709 tons of pollutants such as PM10 particles, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and ammonia, among others, which means there is a difference of 346,524 tons between the two.

Raúl Vargas, Minister of the Environment of the State of Mexico, said that there is no scientific evidence or recent studies that prove this, and added that pollutants can travel from one place to another.

According to the study, that will be published in June, public transportation, taxis, private cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles are the ones that generate more pollutants: 769,914 tons per year in Mexico City and 1.03 million in the State of Mexico, followed by gas stations, landfills, dry cleaners and bakeries along with diapers and stools: 192,448 tons in the State of Mexico and 139,042 tons in Mexico City.

Also, industries emit 19,250 tons of pollutants in Mexico City and 35,701 tons in the State of Mexico.

Soils and vegetation also contribute to pollution with 29,518 tons recorded in Mexico City and the State of Mexico.