(Bloomberg) – Mexico City residents and local industry struggled to cope after a spike in smog levels forced authorities to ban 40% of cars from the roads Wednesday and imposed new restrictions on industry.

Cement, electricity and other industrial plants were told to reduce emissions by as much as 40%, while trucks with federal license plates were barred from entering the city, causing a backup of cargo vehicles on highways.

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Ozone levels highest in 14 years

Just as Mexico was receiving plaudits for reducing smog, ozone levels have climbed to their highest in 14 years, forcing authorities to impose the emergency restrictions. The authorities say rising temperatures and a high-pressure system are bottling contaminants inside the city, while environmentalists say rolling back part of a ban on old cars from the streets last year has also caused emissions to rise. The traffic restrictions put additional strains on the city's bus and subway system.

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