The report 'Air Quality 2025', compiled by Ecologistas en Acción, reveals that the province of Cádiz recorded a total of 499 deaths attributable to complications arising from poor air quality in 2023. This figure represents a significant decrease compared to the 651 fatalities registered in 2022.
Compared to other Andalusian provinces, Cádiz is among those with the lowest number of deaths from this cause, only ahead of Huelva (169 deaths). Seville and Málaga led the number of fatalities in the autonomous community, with 1,144 and 792 respectively. Proportionally, Cádiz has the second-lowest incidence in the region, with 57 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
At the regional level, Andalusia recorded 4,008 deaths due to poor air quality. Nationally, deaths associated with this cause accounted for 4.6% of the total, according to data from the INE.
Despite the improvement in attributed deaths, air quality in Spain showed mixed performance in 2025. While it improved for respirable particles (PM10), fine particles (PM2.5), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), it worsened significantly for ozone (O3), reaching the highest levels since 2015.
In the province of Cádiz, stations such as those in Arcos and Prado del Rey recorded significant levels of tropospheric ozone, especially during the summer months. Prado del Rey, along with sites in Almería, experienced poor air quality for over 150 days in 2025, ranking as the third worst situation in the State after the Balearic Islands and the Community of Madrid. These levels far exceeded the WHO's summer guideline.
Two monitoring stations in Cádiz, in Prado del Rey and Campamento, registered national peaks in ozone pollution over eight-hour periods, severely exceeding legal limits. Prado del Rey accumulated 38 days above the legal threshold, tying with the Doñana monitor.
Tropospheric ozone is a secondary pollutant formed by the reaction of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons under high solar radiation, increasing its presence in summer and in Southern Europe.
The report also notes high levels of PM10 particles in several ports, including that of Cádiz, potentially impacting nearby residential areas. The monitoring stations at the port of Algeciras were the only ones in the State, along with those in Vigo, to exceed the annual limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the air, likely due to dense maritime traffic.
Finally, it is highlighted that half of Spanish cities have not complied with the establishment of Low Emission Zones, despite public funds received for their implementation, with El Puerto de Santa María being one of the most blatant cases.
