Older and more heavily polluting vehicles were required to stay off the road in Mexico City on Tuesday in an attempt to improve air quality after the government declared an air pollution alert on Monday, its first in 11 years.
Ozone levels in the city reached nearly twice the acceptable limit, the Associated Press reported on Monday night.
A recent court order relaxed a rule that had discouraged the use of cars more than eight years old. Environmental activists have argued that changing the rule contributed to more cars on the road and higher smog levels, the AP reported.
Officials recommended that residents stay indoors and limit outdoor exercise while the air pollution alert is in effect.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- LGBTQ Reality TV Takes on a Painful Moment
- Column: How the World Must Respond to AI
- What the Debt Ceiling Deal Means for Student Loan Borrowers
- India’s Female Wrestlers Are Saying #MeToo
- 7 Ways to Get Better at Small Talk
- Florence Pugh Might Just Save the Movie Star From Extinction
- The End of Succession
- Scientists Get Closer to Harnessing Solar Power From Space