Power outage caused butadiene spike in El Morell

Air quality monitors detected levels exceeding international safety benchmarks in the Tarragona region.

Generic image of an industrial complex with chimneys under a hazy sky.
IA

Generic image of an industrial complex with chimneys under a hazy sky.

The Camp de Tarragona Air Quality Observatory reported that a power outage on April 28 last year led to a significant surge in 1,3-butadiene levels in El Morell.

Monthly averages reached 3.02 µg/m³, surpassing the 2 µg/m³ limit established by Canadian regulations, which serves as a benchmark for the local industry due to the lack of specific Spanish legislation.
Despite this specific event in the Tarragonès area, annual data from 22 sampling points across the region show that overall pollutant levels were lower than in previous years.