Sarajevo issues caution due to excessive air pollution

Due to air pollution, Sarajevo canton authorities increased the level of preparedness, which triggered immediate measures to improve air quality.

The situation is similar every year – with the start of the heating season, cities in the region are facing increased air pollution.

The so-called caution level is the first of three and authorities in the metropolitan area of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital city inform citizens that the air is excessively polluted and take measures. The system can be praised because many other cities in the region don’t have any response to air pollution. The second level is called a warning, and the most dangerous is alert, which was declared last year, for example, in mid-January.

Due to increased concentration of PM10 particles, the first degree of danger of air pollution was declared

According to the Government of Sarajevo Canton, the expert body for coordination and supervision of the intervention measures plan in cases of excessive air pollution declared preparedness for the entire area of ​​the canton on Friday, because the concentration of PM10 particles has exceeded the daily threshold of 50 micrograms per cubic meter.

At the measuring station Otoka, the value was 55 micrograms, compared to 83 in Ilidža and 116 in Ilijaš.

In the caution stage, the following measures are implemented:

• in zone A – in the municipalities of Stari Grad, Centar, Novi Grad, Novo Sarajevo and Ilidža – cars and trucks with Euro 1 standard and lower are banned for driving below 700 meters above sea level, and the police conducts more inspections and assistance,
• in all zones – intensive road cleaning and washing with calcium chloride in a wet process,
• strengthening supervision over construction sites,
• reducing the temperature by a minimum of 2°C at all boilers for the production of heat on the list of legal entities and individuals that use solid fuels and heavy fuel oil, with a recommendation for a possible switch to natural gas or electricity, where there are technical possibilities,
• a maximum increase in the capacity of means of public transport that do not pollute the environment,
• inviting legal entities to, depending on their capabilities, postpone the start of work in order to relieve the capacity of public transport and city roads,
• warning sensitive groups to reduce movement,
• warning schools and kindergartens to keep children indoors during large and small breaks, and not to conduct physical educationin the open,
• warning that the incineration of waste and other non-vegetative material in the open is prohibited,
• warning that any incineration of waste in households would be penalized and that any such case can be reported to the authorities by calling phone number 033/66 00 00.