18:46 7 February 2025
Polish Cities Among Europe's Most Polluted
Recent data highlights the persistent issue of air pollution in Poland. On February 5, 2025, Kraków and Wrocław were identified as the most polluted major cities in Europe, according to IQAir's live ranking. The following morning, Warsaw ranked just behind Sarajevo, Skopje, and Belgrade in terms of poor air quality.
This trend isn't limited to large urban centers. Smaller towns have also reported alarming pollution levels. In Żywiec, on February 5, PM2.5 levels exceeded norms by 1,138 percent, reaching 117 µg/m³, while PM10 levels were surpassed by 296 percent, measuring 133 µg/m³. Similarly, in Siedlce, early February saw PM10 levels exceed standards by 1,036 percent (467 µg/m³) and PM2.5 by 652 percent (98 µg/m³).
Historically, Poland has struggled with air quality. In 2016, 33 Polish cities were among Europe's 50 most polluted, a number that increased to 36 by 2018. Despite various initiatives, recent data indicates that significant improvements are still needed to combat this ongoing environmental challenge.
(bizblog)
