Air quality in Třinec

What is the current level of air pollution in Třinec?

Třinec is a statutory city in Frýdek-Místek District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Following a survey conducted in 2020, the estimated population of Třinec was approximately 35,000 people. This qualified it as the least populated statutory city in the Czech Republic.

Třinec is famous for its steel plant which is the largest in the Czech Republic, and as such, has a major impact on the city, on its character, demographics and air quality.

In December 2021, Třinec was going through a period of air quality that was classified as being “Unhealthy” with a US AQI reading of 151. This United States Air Quality Index number is calculated using the levels of six of the most commonly occurring air pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and both sizes of particulate matter, which are PM2.5 and PM10. It can then be used as the metric when comparing air quality in other cities around the world. If data is unavailable for all 6 pollutants, a figure can still be calculated by using what figures there are. In Třinec four of the main pollutants were measured, these were; PM2.5 - 56 µg/m³, PM10 - 56 µg/m³, ozone (O₃) - 24.5 µg/m³ and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) - 34.2 µg/m³.

This level of PM2.5 is over five and a half times above 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 classed as being “Unhealthy” the given advice would be to remain indoors as much as possible, closing doors and windows to prevent the ingress of more polluted air. The operation of an air purifier would be beneficial if one is available but ensure it recirculates the existing air without importing more dirty air from outside. Those who are of a sensitive disposition should take extra care when venturing outside and take precautions such as wearing a good quality face mask to minimalize the chances of inhaling poor-quality air.

There is an app available from AirVisual.com for most operating systems that inform you of the air quality in real-time. This should help to decide whether it is safe to go outside, or not.

Does the level of air pollution remain the same in Třinec throughout the year?

Looking back at the figures for 2020, published by IQAir.com, it can be seen that the best quality air was to be had during the month of February when the recorded figure was less than the target figure of 10 µg/m³ as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The actual figure was 9.1 µg/m³. The next months that produced “Good” figures were May through until the end of September with figures between 10.1 and 12 µg/m³. The remaining six months returned “Moderate” readings between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³.

Historically, air pollution records have been held since 2017 when a figure of 26.7 µg/m³ was recorded. A very slight improvement was registered the following year with a reading of 26.5 µg/m³. A marked improvement came in 2019 when the figure had dropped to 18.2 µg/m³.

In 2020, the recorded figure was 15.1 µg/m³, however, this reading might not be a true reflection of reality as it may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as many vehicles were no longer in daily use because the offices were closed, 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 it on a temporary basis.

What is the main source of polluted air in Třinec?

A total of 6 main air quality factors were identified, which in the Třinec region affect the level of pollution by suspended PM2.5 particles. Třinec is located in an area that is characterized by heavy industrial and traffic loads. However, Třinecké železárny is not the main cause of air pollution. The most significant part of air pollution with suspended PM2.5 particles is of local origin, more than half of which comes from individual heating of households with solid fuel.

The method used to assess the sources of pollution makes it possible to identify the origin of these very fine dust particles, which have a significant effect on health, especially on the respiratory system. The main priority in the Třinec region will be a significant reduction in primary emissions of suspended particulates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and sulphur dioxide.

In cities, where about three quarters of Europeans live, road transport is often the main source of air pollution, especially because cars emit pollutants at ground level, close to people. In some parts of Europe, the most important source of pollutants is heating wood and coal. Unfortunately, these emissions increase in the winter months, when meteorological conditions often prevent the dispersion of pollutants.

Can anything be done to improve air quality in Třinec?

In order to improve the monitoring and evaluation of air quality and to inform citizens about the current state of air pollution, the city of Třinec has replaced the non-functional and obsolete air pollution monitoring station Třinec-Kanada with a new one. The station is equipped with instruments for measuring dust particles, volatile organic compounds such as benzene and toluene, and nitrogen oxides. People can find information on the current state of air pollution on the city's website and also on the light information panels on TGM Square and on the underpass of the bus station in Třinec.

What are the health impacts of breathing dirty air in Třinec?

High air pollution levels can cause immediate health problems including:

• Aggravated cardiovascular and respiratory illness which leads to cell damage
• Added stress to heart and lungs, which must work harder to supply the body with oxygen

Long-term exposure to polluted air can have permanent health effects such as:

• Accelerated aging of the lungs
• Loss of lung capacity thus leading to decreased lung function
• Development of possible diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and possibly cancer
• Shortening of the life span