In Berovo last month there was only one day with clean air, and Prilep, Gostivar, Kicevo, Tetovo, Strumica, Gevgelija did not have a single day of air without PM2.5 particles, “02 Initiative” said Friday.

The Initiative clarifies that they made an analysis by comparing the data on the presence of PM10 and PM2.5 polluting particles from all measuring stations for December, compared over the past years.

The measuring points with the highest number of days with clean air for PM 2.5 are Bitola 1 (measurements for several days are missing) and Miladinovci. Measuring station Bitola 1 is located on the outskirts of Bitola near small industries for the production of food and beverages, at a distance of 13 kilometers from REK “Bitola”. These data demolish the myth that Bitola is the most polluted city because of REK “Bitola”, said the Initiative.

Regarding PM10 particles, in Skopje and Tetovo there are no longer high daily concentrations of over 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 micrograms per cubic meter, which were the result of the large industry that worked without filters, such as “Makstil”, “Jugohrom” etc.

In December 2022, with the exception of Lazaropole, daily concentrations of PM10 up to the legally permitted 50 micrograms per cubic meter, Miladinovci – 20 days, Bitola 1, Stip and Berovo – 17 days, Gazi Baba with 16 days and Rektorat with 15 days.

An industrial city like Skopje, with a measuring station near Zelezara and another one at the busiest intersection, have almost the same number of days with permitted pollution as Berovo, and Bitola in the industrial part. Myths that places like Berovo breathe much more days of permitted air pollution than certain areas in large industrial cities with heavy traffic are being dispelled, according to the Initiative.

The fewest days with clean air in December in recent years have been measured in Kicevo, Tetovo and Kavadarci.

In December 2022, only in Strumica there was not a single day in which PM10 was below 40 micrograms per cubic meter, which positions the city at the top of the pollution table.

The “02 Initiative” concludes that in addition to the improvement of the air quality in Skopje and Tetovo, after the big industries install the filters or stop working, weather conditions continue to be the main factor affecting the air quality, the microclimate, whether or not the wind blows, from which direction, is it raining, is there fog, etc.

Without changing the way of heating and without setting stricter industrial standards, especially in cities like Skopje, where due to the volume of industry in the city itself, it is necessary to use gas in production processes, wherever the best available technologies make it possible, as well as a ban on other fuels, without traffic regulation, eradicating the phenomenon of open burning (stubble and various waste), without control of construction works and construction dust, but also dust from ungreened areas and dirty streets that the wind disperses into the air, we will not have clean air for PM10 and PM2.5, not only in the winter months but also during the whole year, said “02 Initiative”.

O2 is an initiative to protect and defend nature and ensure a clean and healthy environment.