Air quality research, which the Environmental Movement "Ozone" has been continuously conducting since 2011, showed that Nikšić is still one of the most threatened environments in Montenegro.
The results of air quality monitoring during the previous heating season, monitored from October 1 last year, ending with April 1 of the current year, showed that there were 68 days with exceedances of the permitted values of average daily concentrations of PM10 suspended particles.
"During 2019, the citizens of Nikšić were exposed to air pollution for 62 days with increased values of the average daily concentrations of PM10 suspended particles, which is significantly more than the 35 days allowed by law on an annual basis," Aleksandar Perović, director of Ozone, told "Vijesti" .
According to him, even when it comes to air quality during the first half of 2020, the situation is not any better.
"Results of civil monitoring, based on official data of the state air quality monitoring network in Montenegro, show that 41 days were registered with exceeding the allowed values of average daily concentrations of PM10 suspended particles, which is significantly above the legal limit," said Perović.
During the winter months, especially in the central and northern regions, the air quality is worse, and the main reasons are emissions from collective and individual fireplaces during the heating season, followed by industry and transportation. The right to clean air is one of the basic human rights, and air quality is an important segment of Chapter 27 in the negotiation process with the EU.
"We are very concerned about the fact that the National Air Quality Management Strategy, and especially the Local Plan for the Municipality of Nikšić, have not produced visible results. They could even rightly say that they remained a dead letter. If we know that the problem of air pollution is directly related to public health, and that suspended particles, especially PM2,5, which are also chronically above the permissible values in Nikšić, are the direct causes of premature deaths, it would be realistic to bring up the story of the responsibility of the local authorities. and at the state level, because by negligently performing their functions, due to ignorance or lack of interest, they directly or indirectly affected people's lives," Perović points out.
In late 2015 and early 2016, the Institute for Public Health, in cooperation with experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), conducted research on how air pollution affects health, and the study covered Pljevlja, Podgorica and Nikšić. The analysis found that over 250 premature deaths and 140 hospital admissions per year in these three cities, as well as several other health outcomes, are linked to particulate matter exposures higher than those recommended by the WHO Air Quality Guidelines.
"More than half of the mentioned impacts are related to the increased level of pollution during the winter months, mainly due to the burning of solid fuels for heating. Calculations show that something close to six percent of all deaths caused by natural means in Podgorica, 12 percent of such deaths in Nikšić and 22 percent in Pljevlja can be attributed to air pollution that exceeds the AQG values of the WHO," says the report for the mentioned research. done by Dr. Michal Kžizanovski.
In addition to affecting adult mortality, air pollution also affects infant mortality and the occurrence of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in children and adults.
"Annual premature mortality related to exposure to particles was about 10 to 60 times higher than mortality due to road traffic accidents or between two and 20 times higher than mortality from digestive diseases in Montenegro," the report states.
If the annual average particle air pollution were to decrease to the values recorded during the summer period, this would lead to the elimination of the significant impact that pollution has on the average life expectancy.
"In order to reduce the impact of air pollution on health in cities in Montenegro, it is necessary to significantly reduce the burning of solid fuels for heating and cooking purposes in households," recommended Dr. Kžizanovski.
Perović: New plans are necessary, the heating season is coming
Perović points out that it is necessary to approach the drafting of the new National Strategy and Local Plan seriously as soon as possible.
"It is necessary for the National Strategy and the Local Plan to be done in a realistic and sustainable way, with all the necessary segments, which, in addition to rehabilitation measures, also include the closure of the financial structure and a clear definition of competence, given that it is a complex problem in which the intersectoral division of responsibilities a big challenge. The upcoming heating season must already produce results, otherwise the number of premature deaths caused by air pollution will increase, which must not be allowed," said Perović. Infobox (Quote): If we know that the problem of air pollution is directly related to public health, and that suspended particles, especially PM2,5, which are also chronically above the permissible values in Nikšić, are the direct causes of premature deaths, it would be realistic to tell the story and the responsibility of those in charge at the local and state level, because by negligently performing their functions, due to ignorance or lack of interest, they directly or indirectly affected people's lives
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