An official GUS report on pollutant emissions in Poland for the previous year should be published soon. Meanwhile, the available data on this subject mainly concern 2018. Poland, despite the extremely liberal standards in force, has long been a red beacon on the map showing air quality in the European Union. We asked experts what smog is, whether it is actually deadly and how to deal with the problem. Today, together with Airly, we publish an annual report on the state of air in Poland.
- The problem of air pollution concerns not only large agglomerations, but also smaller cities, such as Otwock or Żywiec
- – Poland stands out negatively from the rest of Europe with a high degree of air pollution, especially during the heating season – says prof. Edward Franek
- Smog is harmful not only to the respiratory system, but also to the cardiovascular, nervous and reproductive systems
- Polish scientists noticed a relationship between the high concentration of harmful subtanations in the air and the number of hospitalizations. The greater the smog, the more patients end up in hospitals
- Today, together with Airly, we publish an annual report on the state of air in Poland. You can download it from the website oddychajpolsko.TvoiLokony
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
Smog – what is it?
The main gaseous pollutants emitted into the atmosphere that our country is obliged to monitor are: sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), ammonia (NH3) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC), greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and industrial gases: hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride and nitrogen trifluoride and dust.
- Breathe Poland. Download the Airly and TvoiLokony Air Condition Report
According to official data, the majority issue shows a downward trend. Not only is there less gaseous pollutants, but also dust, non-methane volatile organic compounds and ammonia. On the other hand, the total emission of carbon dioxide has remained at a similar level for several years, and even increases (by 6% compared to 2000).
– All air pollutants are dangerous by definition. WHO defines polluted air as such, the composition of which may adversely affect the health and condition of living organisms, says Prof. dr hab. n. med. Edward Franek, head of the Department of Internal Diseases, Endocrinology and Diabetology of the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw. – I think the most is written about particulate matter and its impact on the respiratory system, but in the long term the most dangerous are probably greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide or methane, which can threaten not individual – even numerous – people in various ways, but even the whole humanity.
The air is poisoned primarily by the products of fuel combustion, used both in industry and in households and in transport. For example, most sulfur dioxide comes from coal combustion (97 per cent), and Poland is in the lead in the EU in terms of sulfur oxide emissions. The combustion of fuels is also the largest source of nitrogen oxide emissions. Road transport is the leader here (39%), and the significant increase in the number of cars means that, despite the higher quality of fuels, the content of these oxides in the air does not decrease. In terms of the amount of their emissions, we are in fourth place after Germany, Great Britain and France.
The carbon monoxide contained in the air comes mainly from fuel combustion processes in households, institutions, trade, services, etc. It is over 65%. total national emissions. Another significant source of CO emissions is transport (23%)
Heavy metals are another group of harmful substances. These include: cadmium, mercury, lead, arsenic, chromium, copper, nickel and zinc. Only in the case of copper and cadmium, the emission level in 2018 was higher than in 2000 – by 37 and 8 percent respectively. Overall lead, chromium and arsenic emissions were driven by combustion of fuels, including coal, in households. Chromium emissions from road transport increased, which in 2017 accounted for almost 10%. total emission of this element in Poland. The dominant source of copper emissions is also transport, including road transport (approx. 34%), currently the main factor determining its growth. The greatest amounts of nickel are emitted by power plants and combined heat and power plants, as well as households (approx. 23%). Zinc comes from the combustion of fuels in industry (27%), in the energy sector (about 23%) and households (about 22%).
Finally, what we colloquially call smog, i.e. a high concentration of dust suspended in the air. Winter smog (also known as aerosol) is caused by the emission of dust and gaseous pollutants as well as chemical reactions taking place in the atmosphere. It is favored by weak wind, strong thermal inversion, fogging and the average daily air temperature below 5 degrees Celsius.
The composition of particulate matter has the most significant impact on air quality and is closely related to the origin, place of occurrence and season of the year. In Poland, fine (PM10) and very fine (PM2,5) dust consists mainly of carbon in the form of organic compounds, elemental carbon, sulphates, nitrates, chlorides, ammonium compounds, silicon, aluminum and iron compounds, and trace amounts of heavy metals. Its emissions in 2018 remained at the level from 2017 (378 thousand tonnes). The largest increase was recorded in industry (by approx. 5%). However, the main polluters are still households using non-ecological stoves (approx. 38% of total emissions).
The average exposure to PM2,5 dust exceeds by 5%. the ceiling set for Poland from 2015. In 2019, unfortunately, we also failed to meet the national PM2,5 exposure reduction target.
The inhabitants of cities and agglomerations above 100 are most at risk. These include: the Upper Silesian and Krakow Agglomerations, Rybnik-Jastrzębska and Bielsko-Biała. In 14, in 2019 Polish cities and agglomerations, located mainly in southern Poland, the dust concentration limit indicator was exceeded.
– Poland stands out negatively from the rest of Europe with a high degree of air pollution, especially during the heating season – claims prof. Edward Franek. – Our cities constitute the majority of the 50 most affected European cities. You can mention both large cities, such as Kraków, and smaller cities, which would be associated rather with clean air, such as Otwock or Żywiec. It would be easier to say where the air is clean in the country, and these are less populated forest regions of the Lubuskie, Zachodniopomorskie, Podlaskie voivodships, as well as the Bieszczady Mountains. This is easy to see on the internet or in applications showing pollution.
In terms of the exposure of residents to air polluted with particulate matter, we are at the forefront of the EU, next to Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania.
On the other hand, pollution generated by means of road transport comes mainly from the processes of fuel combustion in car engines, abrasion of tires, brake pads and secondary dust entrainment from the surface of streets and roads. The number and age of vehicles, the condition of the road surface and the organization of traffic mainly affect the amount of emissions.
In 2018, almost 32 million vehicles were registered in Poland (this number has been systematically increasing, since 2000 it has increased more than 2 times), of which 76 percent. were passenger cars. Over 58 percent passenger cars are over 15 years old, and almost 16 percent. 31 years and older. Despite the implementation of increasingly restrictive exhaust gas standards and the development of road infrastructure, emissions from road transport remain one of the most important problems, especially in large cities.
The rest of the article under the video.
What diseases does smog cause?
– The respiratory system is most vulnerable to pollution because it enters the body through the lungs. The worst consequences are lung cancer, bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as respiratory tract infections, explains Prof. Frank. – On the other hand, in terms of the circulatory system, air pollution can cause atherosclerosis and an increased tendency to the formation of blood clots with all the consequences, such as heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure or arrhythmias. The negative effects of air pollution can also be observed in the central nervous system or in the reproductive system.
It is also no secret that air pollution is associated with the occurrence of allergies. Our skin is directly exposed, which may result in, for example, atopic dermatitis or contact eczema. In addition, there are all allergic diseases of the respiratory system – allergic rhinitis or bronchial asthma.
The ability of heavy metals to accumulate in our bodies leads to damage to the nervous system, anemia, sleep disturbances, deterioration of mental performance, aggressive behavior and, finally, cancer.
Quite different particles are small and very fine, their harmfulness depends on the chemical composition. Thus, PM2,5 dust penetrates into the deepest parts of the lungs, where it is accumulated or dissolved in biological fluids, and then transported with blood to other parts of the whole body. It can worsen asthma, acute respiratory reactions, and decrease lung function.
– We also breathe artificial, man-made materials – notes prof. dr hab. n. med. Michał Pirożyński from the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy at the Medical Center of Postgraduate Education in Warsaw. – It is e.g. synthetic rubber. Remember that cars create the worst possible aerosol, i.e. rubber. Inhaling it causes serious damage to the respiratory system. Moreover, if it contains latex, it is highly allergenic.
Prof. Edward Franek, when asked how life in smog translates into illnesses and excess deaths of residents of particularly polluted areas, replies: – Certainly the number of cases, the severity of cases and the number of deaths are increasing. The problem is that sometimes it’s hard to capture. We, for example, together with Dr. Slama and a team of colleagues from the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, were looking for the impact of suspended dust concentrations on acute hospitalizations, i.e. we tried to answer the question whether air pollution peaks cause such an exacerbation of diseases or the emergence of new, severe symptoms that such people need to be laid down. to the hospital. At first we couldn’t find anything. It was only when we checked the number of hospitalizations for respiratory diseases not on the day of the pollution peak, but a week later that our hypothesis was correct, there was only a time lag between the peak pollution and the increase in hospitalizations. Such things are easy to overlook.
The expert adds: – Of course, the greater the pollution, the easier it is to capture the relationship between them and diseases and deaths. It is estimated, for example, that the London smog of 1952 caused as much as 12 thousand. deaths, and the increased incidence of respiratory and cardiovascular disease and the increased number of deaths persisted for several weeks after its completion. Such things, in turn, are hard to miss! Globally, it is estimated that pollution causes approximately 7 million deaths annually.
How to protect yourself from smog?
Much has been said about the importance for the environment of replacing old coal stoves with new ecological ones. The action is co-financed by local governments and the government, but there is a fear that it will not live up to the hopes placed on it.
– Has anyone thought that not everyone can afford to keep clean, but more expensive stoves? – asks prof. Pirożyński. – For the health of all of us, a cost increase compensation program should be created.
Another thing that city authorities should keep in mind is the maintenance of undeveloped natural aeration lines for the city.
– In Warsaw for the so-called aeration wedges were already remembered by President Starzyński – reminds prof. Pirożyński. – Meanwhile, now there are blocks of flats on all air wedges in the center of the capital.
Inhabitants of the most polluted cities should also be aware that watering the streets and washing sidewalks not only removes dust, but also reduces the level of dust. When smog attacks, it is also worth moving under the roof with physical activity.
– If sport is practiced outdoors, the exposure to pollution obviously increases with the duration of the exposure – emphasizes prof. Frank. – Exercise requires faster and deeper breaths, and in addition, sports clothes usually reveal more naked skin than normal clothing, which also increases exposure.
– Let’s wear masks – persuades prof. Pirożyński. – The filter mask eliminates 30 – 90 percent. harmful aerosols. It may be discomfort, but it protects our respiratory system.
You can buy a set of FFP2 filtering masks at an attractive price at medonetmarket.pl
There are many actions we can take.
– First of all, we can contribute to the reduction of pollutant emissions, e.g. by not burning the tires in the stove – says prof. Franek, but his point is, of course, that the home hearth should not be used as a waste incineration plant.
– You can invest in public health and buy an electric car, use public transport or a bicycle instead of an old diesel. Second, you can avoid going outside on non-pollutant days that can be easily checked on a regular basis. Of course, you have to give up the addiction, because smoking in the home causes even more pollution than it is outside. You can also use air filtering devices in the apartment.
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