Recent condemnation of Greece european court on air quality in Thessaloniki he did not fall like lightning in the city, which already in the 90s was called the “dusty city” due to the high concentration of suspended particles. A month earlier, she had been convicted of broadcasting. Athens as further evidence of the state of the environment and the air we breathe every day, with particularly important implications for the health of all of us. OUR air pollution is a factor in the increase in the manifestation of diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, while, according to the European Environment Agency, in 2020 it resulted in over 11,000 premature deaths in Greece..

The fireplace fills the air and our lungs with particles

Looking at the records of measuring stations, which have enough long-term data, it can be seen that particulate matter (PM10) for which Greece was condemned last week are found in elevels hazardous to human health in the atmosphere of various regions of the country, and not just the two large urban centers. In Larissa, Volos, Patras and even in Karpenissi, the measuring machines reflect a difficult situation.

V Karpenisi from 2016 to 2019, more than 35 days a year, the average content in the atmosphere was recorded above 50 micrograms per cubic meter. Other areas such as Patras And Larisa also show high records, while the latter has been on par with Athens and Thessaloniki for several years in terms of air quality.

“In small villages, which are heated almost exclusively by firewood, pollution is first of all understood by the nose”

In accordance with Dimitris MelaProfessor of Environmental Physics, Faculty of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the main culprit for particularly high records is home heating and wood burning in particular.. “Biomass and especially wood, when we burn it in a fireplace, release, especially in relation to oil and natural gas, perhaps 100 times more particles. Maybe even more, depending on the type of our fireplace.” For the professor, the explanation for such a high content of suspended particles in small towns is simple. “This is from heating the house. If you go to the smaller villages, which are almost exclusively firewood, you will understand it first of all with your nose, and if you count, you will see huge accumulations.

Commenting on the issue of cases that do not exceed the ceiling, but are close to it, as well as Greece’s recent condemnation of the euro, the professor states: “We were referred because we violated EU directives. However, if we want to look at the question health impact, we should not only take the EU limit values, but also look at the WHO recommended values. What has become law is a compromise between what is desired and what is feasible. The WHO sets a limit value for particulate matter at half the value set by the EU directive. If we wanted to protect health, we would have to reach 20, not 40. which is currently the annual rate limit.

Athenian breath complete NO₂

nitrogen dioxide it is generated mainly by internal combustion engines and emitted into the atmosphere in especially large quantities in urban centers, with nitrogen dioxide levels exceeding minimum limits in the capital for several years, which also led Greece to abandon the euro in February. At the same time, while other cities are below the annual limit, they also cannot be considered a paradise of clean air, because. records above 30 µg/m³ indicate a significant deterioration in air quality.

The high records of nitrogen dioxide in the Athenian air are characterized as quite expected by the professor. “Athens is five times bigger than Thessaloniki. The logic would be that the pollution of Athens with all pollutants would be greater, so NO is perfectly logical.₂ be the most important pollutant in Athens, and the exact reason is that it has a very important source: cars.”

Health impact

The air of the city and the area where we live is connected with the health of our lungs, especially for young children. In accordance with Stelios LoukidisPresident of the Hellenic Lung Society, Atmospheric pollution “Plays a role in some respiratory diseases either as a trigger, since there is definitely a causal relationship with the development of asthma, or in connection with the exacerbation of certain chronic respiratory diseases, with the main representatives asthma And chronic obstructive pulmonary disease“. The biggest problem is faced by people with chronic respiratory diseases. “If a person suffering from chronic respiratory comorbidities and living in an area with intense air pollution is clearly more likely to worsen their disease than a person living in an area with less pollution,” then children are characterized as particularly susceptible to the effects of pollution. “Studies found that children who were exposed to pollution and were predisposed to develop asthma developed asthma, in contrast to children who were not exposed. In other words, there is a causal relationship.”