The presence of nitrogen dioxide in Slovakia will be monitored by 200 measuring probes. The aim of the project is to inform the public about the level of air pollution in their immediate surroundings, to stimulate social debate and subsequently to take measures to address the problem, said Petra Čakovská from the Society for Consumer Protection that, in cooperation with Bystro civic association, Edu Nature and other enviro experts, deployed the probes in Bratislava, seven regional cities and other selected locations.
"The data obtained will then be used as a basis for a public campaign aiming to mobilize institutions from all policy and economic sectors and to focus particularly on "dirty" transport," said Čakovská adding that "based on the results of the measurements, national governments and cities can impose stricter controls on diesel cars, increase taxes on air pollution, or introduce so-called low emission zones".
The measuring probes were installed in places where high traffic flows produce more pollution and directly affect a large number of vulnerable people. Therefore, the monitoring is to be performed close to public buildings with a high number of everyday visitors such as schools, playgrounds, hospitals or shopping centres.
According to Čakovská, an international comparison of key environmental indicators performed by the Institute of Environmental Policy in January 2017 showed that the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in Slovakia is the worst in the European Union. It is a product of road traffic and other fossil combustion processes, and it is one of the smog generators that cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. "The worst air quality per capita is in Banská Bystrica and Prešov, followed by Košice, Žilina and Nitra," added Čakovská.
