In order to comply with Colombian law, Regional Autonomous Corporation of La Guajira (Corpoguajira), conducted by the Program Monitoring Air Quality, para determinar el grado de contaminación o aporte de material particulado por parte de las empresas explotadoras de carbón, transportation and other human activities capable of generating particles; to establish itself controls implemented by mining companies, are meeting the objectives or whether it is necessary to strengthen them.

In this sense, Corpoguajira realizó durante el primer semestre de 2011, 1.153 monitoreos distribuidos en las estaciones de Fonseca, Barrancas, Hatonuevo, Rock, Chancleta, Patilla, Los Remedios, Cuestecitas, Provincial, Papayal, Las Casitas and Rabbits, through the company K2 Engineering, which served to establish the concentrations of total suspended particles (PST) y menores o iguales a 10 microns (PM-10) and compare the results with those made by the companies Carbones del Cerrejón Limited-Cerrejón and Carbones Colombianos del Cerrejón.

En el período de muestreo hubo actividad de explotación y transporte de carbón de las dos minas ubicadas en la zona de influencia de las poblaciones señaladas; There was also traffic of heavy and light vehicles on the uncovered roads from Hatonuevo to Puerto Arturo and from Patilla to Roche by the private security vehicles of both companies and property owners., inter alia. It should be noted that during the first quarter there was rainfall.

Luego de obtener el resultado del estudio, Corpoguajira established that the concentrations of particulate matter, both total and respirable dust, in the first semester of 2011, are below the maximum permissible limits or annual air quality standards, taken as reference of the Resolution 601 of 2006.

It should be noted that the highest values ​​for the present period in terms of total suspended particles, They registered at the Patilla stations, Fonseca and Cuestecitas.

Corpoguajira considera pertinente que las minas a cielo abierto Carbones del Cerrejón y Carbones Colombianos del Cerrejón, implement strategies from a technical-operational point of view, that allow reducing the contributions of particulate matter, especially in the three indicated stations, since due to their proximity to the dumps and pits in operation, your records could be increased. Likewise, the highest environmental authority suggested that in the dry seasons more irrigation be carried out on both internal and external roads., as well as access to dumps and pits in operation and establish more severe control mechanisms, so that in this time of adverse weather conditions, no aumenten las emisiones de material particulado.

Finally, Corpoguajira considers it appropriate to increase attention to address everything related to the spontaneous combustion of coal, Although this situation is not affecting people's health, if it contributes significantly to the contribution of gases responsible for global warming.