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On Thursday, the fog shrouded in mist across Lithuania and dust was felt in the air, which in some places even emitted a slightly unpleasant smell. The situation did not change on Friday and experts explain why and from where in Lithuania an unusual increase in air pollution is unusual.
Although there are often no such cases of increased pollution in Lithuania, environmental specialists still advise not to relax too much and protect your health as much as possible in the coming days.
The news portal tv3.lt previously warned that due to the situation in some kindergartens in the capital, children will not be taken outside due to high pollution. The letter sent to the parents of one of the kindergartens in the capital includes instructions “not to allow educators (educators) to take children outside and / or engage in outdoor activities (in open spaces) due to very high levels of air pollution ”, do not open windows and vents.
Meanwhile, an alert was sent by phone on Friday night.
“We would like to inform you that from October 2 to 4, the concentration of particulate matter in ambient air will continue to increase, so we ask the population to avoid active physical activity, limit their presence outdoors, do not burn waste. Yes you are not feeling well, see a doctor immediately ”, sends a warning the municipal administration of the city of Vilnius.
Environmental Protection Agency: pollutants come from Russia
According to data from the Environmental Protection Agency (APA), the daily limit value for PM10 particles in the air was exceeded 3 times throughout Lithuania.
According to Vilma Bimbaitė, head of APA’s Air Quality Assessment Division, these figures are often not noticed and these days we can witness a truly exceptional case.
“Air pollution has increased due to the transfer of pollutants from the southeast. We are in a situation where the anticyclone is above Russia and the air is flowing very well from western Russia, Ukraine, where the forests are burning , carries all combustion products to us. It has already reached both Scandinavia and Poland today
The situation is exceptional, because it is not the local pollutants that affect the quality of the air, but the pollutants that enter and their very high concentrations ”, explains the specialist.
According to an APA expert, situations in which high air pollution is observed not only in large cities but also in rural areas, where the air is usually clean, are extremely rare.
The dirtiest day this year
V. Bimbaitė tells tv3.lt that the last time such contamination was recorded in Lithuania was in April last year.
“The pollution also came from the southeast – Ukraine, Belarus. At that time, the forests were also burning there and we were breathing those burns all week. This situation happens every year, at least 1-3 times a year.
The data from the last day shows that this pollution actually ranks in the top twenty in Lithuania. “One of the most polluted days in the last five years and the most polluted this year,” said the air quality expert.
According to V. Bimbaitė, the pollution transferred by air currents from foreign countries is special because its spread is extremely wide, the kind that does not exist in the presence of local sources of pollutants.
Increased concentrations of particles in the air will still be felt today and tomorrow, but as the expert says, we will be able to breathe better at the end of the weekend: It is expected to rain on Sunday, the wind will be stronger and it will be cleaner and easier to breathe.
How to act to avoid damaging our health?
According to a press release from the National Public Health Center (NVSC), particulate matter is a mixture of airborne particles and liquid droplets that can contain various components: acids, sulfates, nitrates, organic compounds, metals, soil particles, dust, soot, biological components (allergens, microorganisms).
Larger particulate matter (PM10) generally affects the upper respiratory tract, travels to the bronchi, generally causes coughing and sneezing, and small particles (PM2.5) enter the lungs, blood, and can affect not only the respiratory system but also circulatory, deteriorating the internal organs. function, complicates the course of chronic diseases.
Due to their complex chemical and physical composition, the particles also cause specific health effects specific to the specific substance they contain. For example, due to the presence of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in soot, PM2.5 soot is toxic and carcinogenic. Scientific sources indicate that on days when the concentration of particulate matter in the air increases, mortality increases.
The NVSC also provides a list of precautions and recommendations for residents.:
– for patients with chronic diseases (such as asthma, heart or lung diseases) we recommend that you stay home and monitor your health;
– for those who work and exercise, we offer to limit physical activity outdoors, be in places away from busy streets, other sources of ambient air pollution;
– for work or other reasons, we recommend the use of respiratory protection for prolonged use in contaminated areas;
– We recommend everyone to give up private cars and use public transport;
– do not start fires or burn waste in gardens and suburbs; avoid heating the premises with solid fuel appliances;
– If you feel unwell, see a doctor immediately.
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