Bucharest sees significant pollution levels due to residential heating, traffic

The air quality in Bucharest significantly deteriorated during the weekend of October 26-27 due to increased pollution. The situation was similar on Monday morning, with air sensors indicating high pollution levels.

Specialists state that residential heating systems have had a major impact on this issue, according to results presented by the Aer Live app. Traffic also contributes to pollution, especially during the cold season, when people use cars more frequently than bicycles or scooters, according to Libertatea.

The pollution was especially severe on Saturday, October 26, when all air quality monitoring platforms in Bucharest showed very high values, indicating unhealthy air. That day, the sensor near the Cantacuzino Institute in Bucharest indicated a PM 10 concentration of 86 micrograms per cubic meter. A week earlier, on October 16, the same sensor recorded 26 micrograms per cubic meter, meaning that the air was three times less polluted.

Pollution levels in cities are monitored by measuring the concentration of suspended particles, known as PM 10 and PM 2.5. Aer Live has a network that comprises over 40 sensors, located in Bucharest and Ilfov.

"The main source of pollution is heating, thermal energy. For the past five years that we’ve been measuring air quality, we’ve seen this trend around the end of October when district heating begins in Bucharest, when heating systems start operating, compounded by traditional pollution sources from traffic, poor sanitation, construction sites, etc.," stated Oana Neniciu, an Aer Live representative.

Specialists also say that drought exacerbates pollution. The lack of rainfall in recent weeks has contributed to the extremely high pollution levels in Bucharest.

Even on Monday morning, sensors indicated PM concentrations of 77-88 micrograms per cubic meter.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos | Octav Ganea)