The Sarajevo Canton Government has declared an ‘Alert’ for the entire Sarajevo Canton due to extremely polluted air.
According to data provided by the Expert Body, the measured average daily values of harmful PM10 particles are the highest in the last two months, and five automatic measuring stations simultaneously showed averages of this pollutant for the Alert episode, above 200 µg/m3. Today’s measurements also indicate that the averages in Hadžići have reached the values for this episode.
The average daily limit values of sulfur dioxide have also been exceeded at the Ilijaš automatic station for the last three days.
According to data from the Expert Body, a change in weather conditions is expected only on Thursday, but it is uncertain that it will contribute to a significant reduction in pollutant concentrations.
The Government’s decision to declare a State of Emergency orders those subject to the Emergency Measures Plan to implement the prescribed measures to protect the health of the population and reduce emissions of polluting particles.
In addition to the measures from the Warning that remain in force, additional temporary restrictions and activities for responsible persons are introduced during the State of Emergency. One of these measures is a ban on the movement of cars and trucks with engines with EURO3 or lower in Zone A, i.e. in the area of four city municipalities.
It is also planned to temporarily stop all technological processes that result in dust emissions into the air, where technically feasible, or if the technological processes allow for stopping. In the event that their complete stop is not possible due to the characteristics of the technological process, they must be reduced to a technical minimum.
The State of Emergency episode also prescribes a maximum increase in the capacity of public transport vehicles that do not pollute the environment. Legal entities, depending on the possibilities, should organize online work from home.
Due to this air condition, the recommendation for all categories of the population is to reduce stay and physical activity outdoors. Health recommendations are listed in detail on the website of the Institute of Public Health of the Canton of Canton.
