Poor air quality poses a huge threat to the environment and, above all, to our health and lives. Unfortunately, Poland is very poor in terms of air purity compared to other European Union countries. Check what contributes to poor air...
Poor air quality poses a huge threat to the environment and, above all, to our health and lives. Unfortunately, Poland is very poor in terms of air purity compared to other European Union countries. Check what contributes to poor air quality in Poland and which provinces are the most polluted.
Main sources of pollution in Poland
The main source of pollution in Poland is “low emission”, i.e. burning poor quality coal, wood and garbage together with plastics in old and inappropriate furnaces, the so-called “smokestacks”.
The poor air quality in Poland is mainly caused by:
- municipal and housing sector
- road transport
- agriculture
- industrial plants
- CHP plants
The most problematic are PM10 and PM2.5 suspended particulate matter. Also highly dangerous is benzo(a)pyrene - B(a)P, which is carcinogenic and has the ability to accumulate in our body.
PM10 particulate matter is made up of particles with a diameter of less than 10 μm. It consists of organic and inorganic substances, which very often also include dangerous toxins. These dusts are so small that they penetrate the lungs and upper respiratory tract.
PM2.5 suspended dust particles are even smaller and therefore even more dangerous, as they even reach the bloodstream. The main source of PM10, PM2.5 suspended dust emissions and the carcinogenic substance B(a)P are home heating systems - old furnaces, the aforementioned "smokestacks".
How does Poland compare to other EU countries?
Unfortunately, in Poland the air we breathe is not at the highest level. For years now, we have been dealing with exceeded standards of air pollution in our country. The level of harmful substances is strongly related to the seasons. The level of suspended dust and B(a)P emissions increases especially in the autumn-winter period, when the heating season begins. The biggest contributors to this are old furnaces and people who burn poor quality coal, wood and garbage in them.
Compared to other European Union countries, Poland fares very unfavourably in terms of air purity, taking into account the highly dangerous suspended particulate matter PM10, PM2.5 and B(a)P. Unfortunately, for years we have been among those European Union countries where the air is the most polluted.
Voivodeships with the worst and best air quality
The air quality in a given area is influenced by a number of factors, including:
- amount of pollutant emissions
- sources of pollutant emissions
- seasons and meteorological conditions
- type of terrain
- human activity
Poland's air quality is worst in the south of the country. The most polluted regions include the Silesian Voivodeship, cities such as Rybnik and Dąbrowa Górnicza. This is due to the presence of industrial plants and numerous mines in this area, which generate a huge amount of waste that is released into the atmosphere.
High concentrations of harmful substances are also present in the Małopolska province, including in Krakow, where, due to highly developed industry and tourism, the presence of pollutants in the air is high. The Łódź province, Lower Silesia province and the region within the Warsaw agglomeration also have unfavourable results.
The situation is much better in the regions located in the northern and north-eastern parts of Poland. The Podlaskie, Pomorskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeships can boast the cleanest air in the country.
Skip to content
