December, month with the most polluted air in the country

In Kosovo, air quality continues to be the same as other years. The year 2017 is leaving the country in contaminated air as it did 2016.

Afrim Berisha of the Directorate for the State of Environment at the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning in an answer to the Arbre portal.info, has said that Kosovo's air quality trend is almost the same as other years, which according to him implies that the quality of the air is not at a satisfactory level even during 2017.

According to him, December is the most polluted because this month is also the lowest - temperature month, which increases the demand for higher heating fuel consumption, which also contributes to increased air emissions, causing worse air quality

If we compare 2016 to 2017 according to the number of numbered days, we notice no. days past the value allowed at PM10 in the air, during 2016 it was 53 days, while it has reached 44 days without December. This value is expected to rise by the end of the year as December is considered critical in terms of air pollution,”, he said.

Berisha has stressed that for the apparent improvement of air quality, time is needed and that MPMH has undertaken activities related to this aspect.

A positive thing that is noted in recent years is that during the summer season air pollution is lower compared to previous years. This comes as a result of some short-term activities undertaken by both the central, local and private governments. In this regard, MMPH has undertaken several activities to contribute to the reduction of air pollution, increasing communication and pressure on all arteries that can literally or indirectly contribute to reducing air pollution. The pressure of the MMPH has enabled KEK to be convinced that it should invest in reducing air pollution and in recent years placed filters on TC A, then covered part of the ash storage, improved grace transport technology, but much remains to be done in order to achieve the good and healthy quality of air”, he said, citing support from the Japanese government for this.

One support comes from the Japanese Government, respectively, the Japan Agency for International Co-operation and others under the Millennium Challenge Corporation Programme (MCC).

Also in the MMPH, they say they have turned to the Ministry of Infrastructure for the implementation of the Administrative Guide for Monitoring Air Downloads from Mobile Resources or Motor vehicles, then demand to the Ministry of Trade and Industry for increased quality control of derivatives, as well as requirements directed to municipalities to draft local plans for reducing air pollution.

According to him, not only are competent institutions helping to increase air quality, since Berisha also mentions citizens who are contributing in this regard.
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Asked by Arbre.info for regions with the quality of the most polluted air, Berisha mentions Pristina region.

“Air pollution is a global problem that in some cases affects even the most developed states, but if we leave our country, the lower air quality region is the area of Pristina's aglomerate, which was included: Pristina, Fushe Kosovo, Obilic and industrial areas in Drenas. While if we move further regionally, we can say that the countries of the Balkan region generally have problems with air pollution”, he points out.

As for the capital according to information from this director, MMPH through the Kosovo Hydrometeorology Institute monitors air quality at 11 locations. This director says that in these stations there are measures of PM 10 and PM 2.5, Sulfur Dyoxide, Carboon Monoxide, Dyoxid of nitrogen and Ozon.

According to the Directorate for Environmental Status, overall monitoring data is processed and reported on monthly bases, while reporting on PM 10 and PM 2.5 particles is done on a daily basis for Pristina.