Pollution in Medellin, Colombia

Refer to this article from science daily. This shows the average motorcycle emitting 16 times more hydrocarbons, three times more carbon monoxide and a “disproportionately high” amount of other air pollutants compared to passenger cars, according to a Swiss study. THIS is Medellin`s pollution secret in a nutshell. One word: MOTORCYCLES

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2005-12-motorcycles-emit-disproportionately-high-amounts.html#jCphttps://phys.org/news/2005-12-motorcycles-emit-disproportionately-high-amounts.html

I got very sick with a bad respiratory infection here this last week due to air pollution. Finally, 2 days ago it started to rain and the air is clearing up. Do not underestimate the severe cause of air pollution in this city which I am going to define as 1 primary cause. MOTORCYCLES. Hundreds of Thousands of Motorcycles on the streets every day. This extreme number of motorcycles and small 2 wheel vehicles which operate on a gas--oil mixture are severe polluters here. Almost every motorcycle pollutes more than a decent 4 cylinder car, yet it only carries 1 or 2 persons maximum. Poor operation of the motorcycles, fast accleration and so forth, cause more unburned fuel mixture to pass by the cylinder and enter the air as dirty exhaust. If Medellin really wants to combat Air Pollution which is indeed damaging this city, the citizens and lawmakers must look at reducing Motorcycles on the road. I don`t think this can be easily accomplished. Motorcycle operators presently drive as though they own the entire roadway here.