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from petroleum-based fertilizers used in commercial coffee, banana, and sugar plantations,
which openly dump wastewater into nearby rivers and streams.
Air Quality
Guatemala City is notoriously polluted by old, recycled U.S. school buses, the basis of its
public transportation network, which belch out diesel fumes in the form of black clouds.
A promising recent development is a revamping of the city's public transportation system
to include newer vehicles and stop older buses from circulating in the city center. In addi-
tion to auto exhaust, pollution from industrial facilities and burning garbage from the city
dumpcombinetoformathickhazeoftenhangingoverthecity.Theworstdaysoccurwhen
thermal inversions cause the haze to hang in a low-altitude pollution gulag, much like a
pineapple-upside-down cake. Concentrations of particulates, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide
often exceed World Health Organization safety standards, particularly on these days. Dur-
ing the rainy season, the haze is washed away by the afternoon rains, after which the atmo-
sphere is amazingly free of pollutants.
Air quality is a growing concern in Guatemala City.
