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Original article: Por su impacto en la salud de la población: Colegio Médico exige al Gobierno reponer normas ambientales que fueron retiradas de Contraloría

Medical Association Urges Government to Reinstate Environmental Regulations Impacting Public Health

The Chilean Medical Association has urgently requested Environment Minister Francisca Toledo to reinstate two of the 43 environmental decrees withdrawn by the General Comptroller’s Office, citing their direct effects on public health: the emission standards for coal-fired power plants (Decree N°8 of 2025) and the updated primary air quality standard for fine particulate matter PM2.5 (Decree N°3 of 2026).

In a letter signed by the national president of the association, Dr. Ana María Arriagada, and the president of the Environment Department, Dr. Yuri Carvajal, the organization emphasizes that both regulations are essential for preventing cardiovascular diseases, respiratory issues, and various cancers linked to air pollution. The suspension of these measures represents a setback for public health.

The Medical Association warns that both standards have been delayed for at least 11 years in their updates, despite legislation mandating that their standards be reviewed every five years.

Furthermore, they emphasize that exposure to pollutants like fine particulate matter and emissions from coal-fired power plants constitutes an environmental determinant of health that individuals cannot control, necessitating a decisive response through public policy.

In their correspondence with the Ministry of Environment, the medical guild recalls the substantial national and international scientific evidence linking air pollution to increased risks of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and even premature mortality.

In this context, they find it contradictory that these decrees were withdrawn when the government itself has declared an Oncological Health Alert as part of the National Health Strategy.

One of the main arguments put forth by the Medical Association is that both regulations have gone through their respective technical and regulated processes, developed under various administrations.

«The decrees passed through the necessary regulatory stages, including a review of technical and scientific data, public participation processes, expanded operational committee evaluations, and the development of Economic and Social Impact Analyses (AGIES), which assessed both the costs and health and economic benefits associated with improved air quality,» they stated.

In this vein, Pamela Schellman, technical secretary of the National Department of Environment of the Chilean Medical Association, warned that «delaying the implementation of these standards means keeping the population exposed to local pollutants that increase the risk of respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and deaths, particularly affecting children, the elderly, and patients with chronic illnesses, who bear the brunt of air pollution’s consequences.»

«Reinstating these decrees is an urgent public health measure that will help prevent diseases, save lives, and move towards a healthier environment for the entire population,» added Schellman.

Impact of Coal-Fired Power Plants

Regarding the economic and social impact analysis of the Standard for Coal-Fired Power Plants, which began its review and update process in September 2020 and was submitted to the General Comptroller’s Office in October 2025, the Medical Association estimated that tightening emissions limits for particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides would generate social benefits estimated at $91 million between 2025 and 2040, primarily from reductions in premature deaths and hospitalizations due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, alongside other effects associated with air pollution, as recorded in the AGIES of both decrees.

Meanwhile, the update of the PM2.5 standard proposes reducing the annual limit from 20 to 15 micrograms per cubic meter and the daily limit from 50 to 38 micrograms per cubic meter, gradually aligning Chilean regulations with World Health Organization recommendations. This would generate social benefits valued at $8.873 billion between 2026 and 2035, with net benefits close to $7.234 billion from reduced morbidity and mortality associated with air pollution.

«These standards are the result of years of technical work and are backed by robust scientific evidence. Their development adhered to all legally established stages, including public participation processes, economic and social impact assessments, and reviews by expanded operational committees. Delaying their implementation means postponing environmental, health, and economic benefits that have already been thoroughly evaluated and demonstrated,» explained Gonzalo Melej, coordinator of the Decarbonization Project of Sustainable Chile.

For this issue, in addition to addressing the Minister of the Environment, the Medical Association has sent letters to the presidencies of the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies, and the health commissions of both bodies, seeking political support for the reinstatement of these standards and pushing for their prompt approval.

Finally, the association reiterated that environmental protection «should be understood as a state policy,» asserting that the health of ecosystems «constitutes the foundation of human health,» urging the Executive to swiftly reinstate these decrees and strengthen environmental institutions to safeguard the quality of life for the population.

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