Air pollution past few days is at a very high level. In Skopje, Tetovo, Bitola and Veles, where the level of carcinogen PM10 particles is much higher than allowed, citizens are breathing poison all winter. Yesterday, the City of Skopje issued measures of first degree (recommendations), to be taken to reduce pollution.
Environmental organizations say that most pollution comes from traffic, heating of homes, industry and other minor contaminants. Climate factors, construction works, poor traffic solutions and location of cities have an additional negative impact.
Metodija Sazdov, president of the environmental organization “Macedonian Green Center,” says that when people and institutions do not give the maximum effort to reduce pollution, we cannot expect the pollution to disappear.
– The problem of the citizens is that we do not want to separate from the comfort (car, warm apartments), but we don’t want to be an example for others in reducing the pollution. On a level of institutions, the problem is that the measures have not been implemented in full because social situation and for fear of creating a revolt amongst citizens for reducing their comfort. When neither gives the maximum effort to reduce pollution, we cannot expect pollution to disappear just like that – says Sazdov.
He believes that civil society organizations, experts and politicians need to sit down and develop a plan on which they would work for a year in order to be able to change habits and the pollution to be reduced next winter, because now, whatever you do, there will be no quick effect.
Some of the activities proposed by the “Macedonian Green Center” is stopping cars from the central city area, regular industrial pollution control and rigorous sanctions if exceeded, gasification of cities, rapid bus lanes, using bicycles as a means of transportation, massive campaign to use public transport, ban on construction work in the winter, a massive increase in the number of green spaces in the central city area, as well as using renewable energy sources.
According to them, it is important the media to engage in a free campaign to educate the public and promote ways and methods to reduce pollution and preserve health in serious pollution.
