Chilean authorities advance atmospheric decontamination plans

Environmental authorities in Chile are implementing various measures to improve air quality through Atmospheric Decontamination Plans (PDA) in different regions.

In Calama, the Antofagasta Regional Ministerial Secretariat of the Environment has resumed technical working groups to develop a draft PDA. These specialized groups focus on six key areas: emission reduction from main sources, urban infrastructure and green areas, sustainable mobility and electromobility, inspection and territorial management, health, education and early warning, and nature-based solutions.

In Valdivia, the Los Rios Regional Ministerial Secretariat of the Environment conducted a second scrap metal process this year, resulting in the destruction of 408 residential heating units. These units, which included slow-combustion stoves and artisanal wood stoves that failed to meet emission standards, were mechanically destroyed to prevent reuse. The process recovered 28,341 kilograms of metal for recycling. This initiative is part of a heater replacement program where families exchange old wood-burning systems for cleaner technologies, such as pellet heaters or high-efficiency air conditioning.