Bucharest risks a fine of 100,000 lei if it does not take measures to improve air quality
Residents of Bucharest often breathe polluted air. That is why the Romanian capital risks sanctions from the European Commission if the city has 35 days a year with poor air quality.
The National Environmental Guard warned the Bucharest City Hall that it could be fined with 100,000 lei if measures to improve air quality are not taken by February 15. Commissioners have already sent 23 notifications regarding serious exceedances of pollutant particles.
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The national air quality monitoring network includes over 140 stations, with 23 located in Bucharest.
In the courtyard of a kindergarten in District 3, a station has been displaying pollution exceedances from traffic for two days. Although we are in a green area, just steps away from Titan Park, the air quality is poor.
Indeed, no monitoring station indicates GOOD air to breathe in the capital, only acceptable, moderate or bad.
According to studies conducted by the municipality, heavy traffic in Bucharest is the main source of pollution with microscopic particles, followed by residential heating. Traffic pollution thus seems to be the most dangerous, and those who inhale microscopic particles in the air for a long time can develop lung diseases or even cancer.
Just to exceed the allowed level of microscopic particles, 15 years ago the European Commission initiated an infringement procedure against Romania. Cluj-Napoca, Brașov, Timișoara and Iași were also in the same situation. Among them, only the capital did not find a solution, so the Environmental Guard was obliged to fine the city hall with 7,500 lei every year.
Andrei Corlan, Head of the National Environmental Guard: "We have established a plan of measures for them to implement or at least schedule by February 15. If not, according to the legislation, the Bucharest City Hall risks a fine of 100,000 lei from the National Environmental Guard".
In a response to PROTV News, the Bucharest City Hall announced that in the last 3 years, it has invested in non-polluting public transport and has started the modernization of the heating network to reduce the number of apartment buildings with central heating.
The Environmental Guard asked the city hall to first implement measures to streamline traffic in crowded areas. In return, the municipality promised that the new Integrated Air Quality Plan would be ready by October.
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