Air quality in Bucharest
Edited by: Emanuela Matei
Bucharest, suffocated in its own air
Bucharest is a city that is suffocating in its own air, due to pollution, at a worrying cost to people's health and quality of life.
The urban atmosphere of Bucharest
Bucharest is located in the Romanian Plain. There are two water courses that cross the municipality (Dâmbovița and Colentina) and landscaped lakes. The frequency of atmospheric calm is 43.3%. It represents an increase in the risk of accumulation of pollutants in the urban atmosphere and an average ventilation capacity of the city. Winds blow from the northeast (16.4%), southwest (11.7%), east (10.3%) and west (9.2%). The average monthly temperature is the lowest recorded in January (-1.3ºC in Bucharest-Filaret), and the highest — in July (22.7ºC). With the lowest values in February and the highest in June, the average annual amount of precipitation in Bucharest is 613 mm.
The main sources of degradation
Sources of air quality degradation they are represented by human activities that exceed the regeneration capacity of the environment. The introduction of various substances and forms of energy contributes to changing the local characteristics of the air. These mean a negative impact on the health of the population, urban biodiversity, the economy or cultural heritage assets.
According to the source of degradation, sources can be delimited:
- from transport (road, rail, air)
- industrial
- residential and similar (offices, schools, etc.)
- other categories (eg construction sites, large commercial premises).
The biggest contributors to air pollution in the city of Bucharest are:
- road transport (detached leader, which directly and indirectly contributes more than 60% to the air pollution of the city of Bucharest)
- energy production in electrothermal plants (about 15%)
- industrial activities (about 10%),
- burning activities in the residential sector (1-5%),
- waste management (1-2%),
- construction sites (1-2%)
- other categories of pollution sources (1-2%)
The main pollutants in Bucharest
The main causes of pollution are:
- Road transport
- Nitrogen oxides
- Carbon monoxide
- Volatile organic compounds
- Suspended particles
- Freon
- aerosol
- Industry
- Suspended particles
- Sulfur oxides
- Nitrogen oxides
- Ammonia
- HCl
- Molecular chlorine
- Heavy metals
- Volatile organic compounds
- Residential
- Nitrogen oxides
- Suspended particles
- Sulphur dioxide
- Carbon monoxide
- Carbon dioxide
- Volatile organic compounds
Transport from Bucharest
In 2020, 1,502,169 vehicles were registered in Bucharest, of which 48% were diesel, 46.5% gasoline, 0.25% electric, and 5.25% have other types of engines.
All of these emit noise during operation. . Amounts depend on the age and condition of the vehicle, the type of fuel used and the presence of pollution control systems. Noxele principale asociate road trafficare
- nitrogen oxides
- carbon monoxide
- volatile organic compounds (especially benzene)
- particulate matter (especially in the case of diesel vehicles)
To the noxes emitted by combustion processes are added those associated with the operation of the vehicle,such as:
- particles from tires
- brake and clutch pads
- freons from air conditioning systems
- aerosols from washing the windshield
- dust deposited on vehicles (if they are not washed)
The biggest problems of transport activities
The biggest problems occur on boulevards withheavy traffic, on the arteries connected with the highways and national roads entering the capital and in the vicinity of congested areas. On the streets where heavy traffic is allowed, the air quality is worse than the other arteries.
The most intense traffic is registered between the hours of 7.00 – 10.00 and 16.00 – 20.00, associated with transport to educational institutions, workplaces and homes. On Fridays and Sundays, high traffic values occur at the exits to the highways and national roads between 16.00 and 20.00.
Along with road traffic, railway traffic constitutes a local source of air pollution. The problem is compounds used for the maintenance of railway lines and by combustion compounds.
Another source of degradation associated with transport activities is Baneasa airport. There, air traffic brings significant amounts of nitrogen oxides, carbon and volatile organic compounds.
Carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide from Bucharest
Carbon monoxide – road traffic, followed at a long distance by thermal power plants
- According to Law no. 104/15.06.2011 on the quality of the surrounding air, for carbon monoxide, the maximum daily value of 8-hour averages is 10 mg/m3.
Sulfur dioxide – C.E.T.s, followed by industrial units and road traffic
- According to Law no. 104/15.06.2011 on the quality of the surrounding air, for sulfur dioxide, the hourly limit value is 350 μg/m3 (it must not be exceeded more than 24 times a year), and the annual limit value is 20 μg /m3
Other noxes – from road traffic and activities that circulate these substances
All forms of urban nature are important for ensuring the sustainability of the city. This responsibility involves ensuring adequate quantity, quality and accessibility of urban nature for all citizens. limiting the discussion to green spaces, they must be sufficient in quantity, quality, equitably distributed and consistent with user expectations.
Read also:
