Metro Manila air quality improved in 2024 due to Euro 4 fuel standards, says DENR

AIR QUALITY in Metro Manila improved significantly in 2024, largely due to emission-reduction programs including the enforcement of Euro 4 fuel standards since 2016, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said.

- Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Based on data from the agency’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), average particulate matter 10 (PM10) concentration in the capital region fell 17.4% to 38 micrograms per normal cubic meter (µg/ncm) from 46 µg/ncm in 2016.

PM1O refers to particles 10 micrometers or smaller, while PM2.5 includes finer particles of 2.5 micrometers or less. Such pollutants, often produced by vehicle exhaust, burning of fossil fuels and industrial processes, can penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream, the DENR said.

The EMB also recorded a 37.6% improvement in PM2.5 levels in Metro Manila, from 27 µg/ncm in 2016 to 16.86 ug/ncm in 2024.