Air pollution exceedances in several cities - KTA report: For the first time, Elbasan is also measured, PM 2.5 is 20% above the allowed limit
The National Environment Agency has published the 2024 State of the Environment Report, which highlights that air quality in several cities in the country continues to be problematic, especially due to high levels of PM10 and PM2.5 dust particles.
According to monitoring data, at the station located near the KTA in Tirana, an excess of the annual PM10 norm was recorded, while at the stations in Korça, as well as at the Directorate of Hygiene and the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, the values are close to the limit. Meanwhile, the cities of Shkodër, Durrës and Fier are presented with lower values. For the period January–May 2024, 23 days with an excess of the daily PM10 norm were recorded in Korça, out of 35 days that the annual standard allows.
Regarding the finest particles, Elbasan results in exceeding the PM2.5 norm, where the average measured value was 30.15 μg/m³, or 20% above the allowed limit. This is the first year that monitoring of this pollutant is carried out in this city. The main sources of pollution are related to traffic, construction and the non-metallic minerals production industry.
Meanwhile, despite their importance, the number of automatic air monitoring stations in the country remains limited to only 9, 4 of which are located in Tirana and 1 station each in Korça, Durrës, Elbasan, Shkodër and Fier. The Ministry of Environment's promises to expand the monitoring network have not been fulfilled, leaving entire areas uncovered and without reliable data on air quality. According to experts, this lack creates serious gaps in the real assessment of the environmental situation and limits the ability of the authorities to take preventive and corrective measures.
According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is one of the greatest environmental threats to health, contributing to millions of cases of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and premature mortality each year. In addition to its impacts on public health, air pollution also negatively impacts agriculture, biodiversity and cultural heritage, damaging plants, soil, water and historic buildings.
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