Editing Asturias (section)

==Pollution and conservation==
This part of Spain is one of the best conserved in the entire country, and full of vegetation and wild spaces. It holds two of the most important natural parks in Spain, and is very renowned for the Picos de Europa and Somiedo areas.

The Gijón area was marked and singled out as one of the [[pollution]] hotspots in Western Europe in a 2015 report from the International Institute for Applied Science Systems, where predictions for 2030 conditions were made.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/02/23/map-these-will-be-europes-most-polluted-cities-by-2030/ |title=Map: These will be the Europe's most polluted cities in 2030 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=2 March 2015 |first=Rick |last=Noack |date=23 February 2015 |archive-date=23 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150223190418/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/02/23/map-these-will-be-europes-most-polluted-cities-by-2030/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/15/1539/2015/acp-15-1539-2015.pdf |title=Modelling Street Level PM10 Concentrations Across Europe: source apportionment and possible futures |publisher=International Institute for Applied Science Systems |access-date=2 March 2015 |journal=[[Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics]] |first1=G. |last1=Kiesewetter |first2=J. |last2=Borken-Kleefeld |first3=W. |last3=Schöpp |first4=C. |last4=Heyes |first5=P. |last5=Thunis |first6=B. |last6=Bessagnet |first7=E. |last7=Terrenoire |first8=H. |last8=Fagerli |first9=A. |last9=Nyiri |first10=M. |last10=Amann |date=13 February 2015 |volume=15 |issue=3 |doi=10.5194/acp-15-1539-2015 |pages=1539–1553 |bibcode=2015ACP....15.1539K |doi-access=free |archive-date=19 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319071033/http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/15/1539/2015/acp-15-1539-2015.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Gijón was marked much higher than any other Spanish metro area, in spite of the much larger populations in cities such as [[Madrid]] and [[Barcelona]]. This was attributed to heavy industrial activities. Since outdoor air pollution is a major cause of premature death in Europe,<ref name="Air - Environment">{{cite web |url=http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/index_en.htm |title=Clean Air - Environment |work=[[European Commission]] |access-date=2 March 2015 |date=12 February 2019 |archive-date=10 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150310211602/http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/index_en.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> the excessive pollution is a major concern for Asturias. The majority of Asturias population live within a {{convert|25|km|mi}} range from the port of Gijón, so pollution would be likely to heavily affect the population.

A Spanish government study conducted in 2010 regarding life expectancy in relative communities, Asturias was ranked lowest (tied with [[Andalucia]]) for male life expectancy with 76.7 years from 2007 readings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.msssi.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/inforRecopilaciones/docs/ESPERANZAS_DE_VIDA_SALUDABLES_EN_ESPAN_INGLES-2010.pdf |title=Healthy life expectancies in Spain 1986-2007. Disability-free life expectancy and Life expectancy in good perceived health in Spain and its Autonomous Communities |publisher=[[Government of Spain]] |work=[[Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality]] |access-date=23 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304215336/http://www.msssi.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/inforRecopilaciones/docs/ESPERANZAS_DE_VIDA_SALUDABLES_EN_ESPAN_INGLES-2010.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |year=2010 |first=Mercedes |last=Alfaro |editor-first=Enrique |editor-last=Regidor |editor2-first=Juan L. |editor2-last=Gutiérrez-Fisac |editor3-first=David |editor3-last=Guevara |editor4-first=Antonio José |editor4-last=Jiménez |editor5-first=María Pilar |editor5-last=Tejeda |url-status=live}}</ref> However, female life expectancy was 84 years and normal among autonomous communities. However, even the male life expectancy is only just below Western European standards, and exaggerated by the high Spanish life expectancy. Considering that many Asturians live in relatively close proximity to Gijón's heavily industrial areas, these figures (especially for female relative health) still contribute to a position that Gijón is a safe location to live. The numbers for "disability-free" life expectancy has risen significantly both for males and females in the area since 1986, according to the report.<ref name="Air - Environment"/>

The coal fired electric generating plant, Aboño, completed a Spanish government/EU demand to install equipment to drastically reduce its emissions. Also, the other two major polluters - Arcelor Gijón and Arcelor Avilés - have announced an investment of 100 million euros to do the same. These factories have been a major cause of the area's high airborne pollution.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}