Po Valley: four regions activate seasonal anti-smog measures — in Lombardy the alert level depends on the number of consecutive days with PM10 above 50 µg/m³ at reference stations
On 30 September 2026 Italy’s national environmental protection system SNPA reported that Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna are activating air pollution measures for autumn and winter, when the atmosphere disperses PM10, PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide less effectively. Decisions are based on measurements by the regional ARPA agencies and model forecasts.
- In Lombardy the temporary measures apply from 1 October to 31 March and have two levels: the first after at least 2 days and the second after at least 7 days of continuous exceedance of the PM10 daily limit value (50 µg/m³) at reference stations. Checks take place on Mondays and Thursdays for the two preceding days, and traffic restrictions apply in municipalities with more than 30,000 inhabitants.
- In Veneto the PM10 bulletin is issued from 1 October to 30 April on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays by 1 p.m.; the alert level follows from consecutive exceedances of the daily limit value measured up to the previous day and from SPIAIR model forecasts for the current and the next two days. In Emilia-Romagna the measures apply from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.
- In Piedmont the anti-smog protocol runs from 15 September 2026 to 15 April 2027 under Regional Executive Decision No 9-2916 of 26 February 2021. ARPA Piemonte publishes a “traffic light” level bulletin three times a week, a daily history of levels and maps of forecast daily mean PM10 concentrations for each municipality for the day and the following two days.
- According to ARPA Piemonte, on 28 July 2026 the regional council adopted an update of the regional air quality plan which, in exchange for compensatory measures, abolishes the structural restriction on Euro 5 diesel cars in agglomerations of more than 100,000 inhabitants, while leaving the emergency measures unchanged. PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and O3 data from the regional monitoring stations are available in the Aria +Piemonte app.
Source: SNPA — Nelle regioni del bacino padano si riattivano le misure per la qualità dell’aria (30.09.2026)