Environment

More cars banned in Mexico City after pollution alert

More cars were ordered off Mexico City’s streets on Wednesday after a surge in pollution prompted authorities to issue the first air quality alert in 14 years.

After older vehicles were kept off the streets on Monday and Tuesday, the Environmental Commission of the megalopolis decided to expand the ban on Wednesday to include all cars with license plates that have red stickers and end in the numbers three and four.

The extraordinary measures were imposed following an increase in ozone concentration, which can cause respiratory and heart ailments.

Federal authorities ordered factories in the greater Mexico City area to slash their emissions by 40 per cent.

The last time the air quality emergency was issued was in September 2002.