Level 2 alert activated in Var due to peak ozone pollution this Tuesday

This Tuesday, August 12, the Var prefect triggered the level 2 pollution alert procedure, due to a significant episode of ozone air pollution . Throughout the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, ozone concentrations are very high, and air quality is considered poor.

This phenomenon is explained by a peak of intense heat combined with persistent anticyclonic conditions , which favor the accumulation of pollutants.

The most worrying ozone concentrations are expected in the departments of Vaucluse, Bouches-du-Rhône and Var, where values could exceed 180 µg/m³, a critical threshold for public health.

With this move to alert level 2, the Var joins its neighbors in a situation of heightened vigilance.

Measures to limit pollution and protect health

Faced with this situation, the authorities recommend limiting physical exertion, reducing car journeys in favor of public transport, carpooling or soft modes such as walking and cycling, and avoiding work generating pollutants.

Vulnerable people are urged to exercise extreme caution. Among the measures put in place, the reduction of the maximum speed limit by 20 km/h on roads - without falling below 70 km/h - aims to limit emissions.

Furthermore, the burning of green waste is prohibited, as is the use of non-electric gardening tools or polluting products, resulting in the postponement of certain maintenance work.