WARSAW, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Polish Smog Alert (Polski Alarm Smogowy), an NGO focusing on improvement of air quality in Poland, warned of bad air pollution in Polish cities in its research released on Wednesday.
The new research ranked Polish towns based on the concentrations of air pollutants, with smaller towns in the south and southwest faring the worst.
According to concentrations of benzopyren (a cancer-producing chemical resulted from burning of coal, among others), inhabitants of Nowy Targ in southern Poland are the most affected.
While smaller towns are the most affected by smog -- because many people continue to heat during the cold season by burning coal in home ovens -- large cities such as Krakow and Katowice also make the top of most polluted Polish localities.
As of this autumn, Krakow is implementing a ban on coal and wood burning in home stoves, the effects of which will be visible this winter.
"The dramatic situation in small and medium towns is caused by the burning of coal and wood in home ovens, which are the main source of heating in more than four million Polish homes," the research said.
"The emissions derived from heating are responsible for almost half of the PM 10 pollution in Poland and for 84 percent of the benzopyren in the air," Polish Smog Alarm claims.
Polish Smog Alart said on its website that the poor condition of air is responsible for 48,000 premature deaths in the country. Enditem
