Rome and Milan adopt emergency measures to combat air pollition

Pollution levels in Italy’s business capital have exceeded levels considered healthy for more than 30 consecutive days.

According to reports, Milan is banning cars, motorcycles and scooters for six hours a day over the next three days, whereas in Rome, cars with odd-numbered plates have been banned for nine hours on Monday and cars with even-numbered plates are to be banned for the same time frame on Tuesday. But many Romans ignore the rules and leave the heat on all day.

In Rome, Milan and Turin, public transportation was encouraged by letting the one-way ticket to be valid for a whole day. The new regulations target cars, but also … pizza ovens.

The mayor of San Vitaliano, a town outside of Naples, issued an edict (PDF, Italian) last week banning the use of wood-fired ovens in restaurants for the next three months.

Warm temperatures and rain shortage contributed consistently to the persistent high levels of pollutants, according to local environment experts and meteorologists.

The decision to introduce such a restriction was taken following the lack of rainfall that has recently led to increased pollution levels.

Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-euro and anti-immigrant Northern League party, dismissed Milan’s ban on cars, saying on his Facebook page it “doesn’t solve the problems of the air (which is disgusting), but bothers only those who would want to work”.

Comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo with anti-establishment Five Stars Movement (M5S) accused Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his cabinet ministers of “carelessly walking on the corpses of 68,000 Italians, which they have failed to protect”. Also in Rome, people have been instructed not to set the thermostats at temperatures over 64°F (18 C) as a measure to reduce pollution.