If it is well known that the Paris metro is very polluted, the levels are worrying, according to a new study, carried out by the program Vert de Rage and relayed by our colleagues of the Parisien. The air quality and the concentration of PM 2.5 (fine particles) have been measured during 8 months on the platforms of 332 metro and RER stations, during rush hour. And the results are not good, with an average overpollution twice as high as the WHO recommendations, or even worse on some lines.
So which lines are the most polluted? The most affected are line 5, RER A, line 9 and line 2, while the least affected are lines 3bis, 14 and RER C. Belleville, La Défense and Pont-de-Neuilly are the stations with the highest concentrations of fine particles. The overall pollution level of the network, which includes outdoor and indoor air, is therefore five times higher than recommended.
What can be found in the air? Heavy metals, which come from braking and rails, and whose real risks to the health of users are unknown. After the complaint from the Respire association, an investigation was opened, with RATP employees also wondering about the impact on them, exposed to this pollution every day.
