Air quality in Radomsko

Is Radomsko currently a very polluted city?

Radomsko is a town in southern Poland situated on the Radomka river in the Łódź Voivodeship. According to a census conducted in 2020, Radomsko had an estimated population of approximately 46,000 inhabitants.

At the beginning of 2022, Radomsko was enjoying a period of “Good” quality air with a US AQI reading of 45. This United States Air Quality Index number is an internationally used set of metrics supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is used to compare the air quality in different cities throughout the world using comparable standards. It is calculated by using the levels of the six most commonly found pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and both sizes of particulate matter, which are PM2.5 and PM10. If all six figures are not always available in which case, a level is calculated by using what data there is. In Radomsko, three major pollutants were measured which were; PM2.5 - 11 µg/m³, PM10 - 22 µg/m³ and sulphur dioxide (SO₂) - 5.2 µg/m³.

This level of PM2.5 is just over the recommended safe level of 10 µg/m³ as suggested by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as being an acceptable level. Although no amount of air pollution is considered to be safe.

When air quality is classified as being “Good” there is no advice given as none is needed. Doors and windows can be safely opened without fear of the ingress of dirty air from outside. All types of outdoor activities can also be enjoyed without fear. There is a downloadable app from AirVisual.com which is suitable for all operating systems and gives the latest information regarding air quality in real-time.

Does the level of air pollution vary much throughout the year in Radomsko?

Air quality can be affected by many things, therefore it can and does change rapidly depending on the local conditions. Looking back at the 2020 figures published by IQAir.com, it can be seen that the level of air quality remained in the “Moderate” bracket for the full twelve months of the year. To be classified as such, the figure should fall between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. The cleanest month was July with a reading of 13.2 µg/m³. The dirtiest was January with a 33.5 µg/m³ figure.

Records for air quality were not kept before 2020 when the annual average figure was 20.8 µg/m³. This figure was almost expected because it would have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as many vehicles were no longer in daily use because the offices were closed and the staff encouraged to work from home, in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus. Many factories and non-essential production units were also required to close which removed their emissions from the atmosphere, albeit on a temporary basis. Worldwide, cities reported a much better quality of air due to the general lack of traffic pollution in city centres due to the pandemic.

What is the main source of air pollution in Radomsko?

The definition of air pollutants explains that they are all air pollutants caused by substances that are hazardous to health and dangerous for other reasons. The air can be polluted by any gaseous, solid or liquid substances that are present in the air in amounts greater than their average value. The main sources of air pollution are the transport and energy industries, industrialization and population growth, and natural sources. The effects of air pollution include: ozone hole, smog, acid rain, odours and the greenhouse effect.

Air pollution is a problem all year round. Old solid fuel stoves continue to be the biggest problem in the fight for fresh air. Another reason for air pollution all year round is the growing number of vehicles on the road and their too frequent use.

The smog in Radomsko became famous at the beginning of 2017. At that time, due to severe frost and lack of wind, the standard of PM10 dust in the air in Radomsko was exceeded by 884 per cent. The most noticeable effects of low emissions are the increased incidence of respiratory diseases and cancer. Suspended dusts contribute to the development of ischemic heart disease, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias and may lead to sudden cardiac death.

Can anything be done to improve air quality in Radomsko?

The Clean Air program was created because, according to research, as many as 45,000 people die in Poland due to air pollution. SMOG, which is responsible for many diseases, is largely caused by outdated and non-ecological methods of heating single-family houses, but also old-type tenement houses. This is the main reason why the Clean Air program was created, thanks to which it is possible to obtain a subsidy for:

• replacement, purchase and installation of heat sources (those that meet the program requirements),
• photovoltaic micro-installation,
• replacement of windows, external doors and garage doors,
• assembly and modernization of domestic hot water and central heating installations,
• house insulation,
• mechanical ventilation installation with heat recovery.

What are the detrimental effects of breathing in polluted air in Radomsko?

Air pollution affects different groups of people in different ways. The most serious consequences occur in people who are already ill. Furthermore, the most vulnerable groups, such as children, the elderly and low-income families with limited access to health care, are more susceptible to the harmful effects of this phenomenon.

PM2.5 is a dust with particles not larger than 2.5μm. World Health Organisation (WHO) Its harmfulness results, among other things, from the fact that its particles are so small that they can penetrate the alveoli into the bloodstream. Continuous breathing of contaminated PM2.5 dust has been shown to reduce life expectancy. Even short-term exposure can be harmful, increasing the following: cough, worsening of asthma, feeling of shortness of breath following direct contact with contaminated air. Breathing air contaminated with PM2.5 dust also increases the risk of heart attacks and arrhythmias.

PM10 is a dust composed of particles with a diameter less than or equal to 10 microns. Its occurrence is mainly related to the combustion process of solid and liquid fuels. Dust may contain substances that are toxic and harmful to humans. Smoke, soot, asbestos, metal particles (arsenic, nickel, cadmium, lead), dioxins, furans and benzopyrenes and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - all of these not only sound terrible, but also have a negative impact on our health.