Manaus air quality reaches hazardous levels following industrial waste fire

A large-scale fire at a private waste disposal site in the Industrial District II of Manaus has caused severe air pollution across the city and surrounding regions. The fire, which began on Tuesday, spread across more than 15,000 square meters, involving materials such as tires, plastics, oil, and paint. While firefighters have worked to contain the flames, deep-seated hotspots in the waste layers have made complete extinction difficult.

As a result of the smoke, Manaus recorded some of the worst air quality in Brazil, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels reaching concentrations as high as 490.1 µg/m³ during the night. Monitoring systems have classified the air quality in various parts of the capital as ‘very poor’ or ‘bad.’

Environmental authorities, including the Institute of Environmental Protection of Amazonas (Ipaam), have fined the company responsible for the site R$ 5.555 million, noting that the facility was only licensed for inert waste and was found storing unauthorized hazardous materials. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.