Provide transparent information to the citizens of Bor about whether their current air quality is safe for their health

Belgrade, October 21, 2019 - Coalition 27 expresses concern about the air quality in Bor due to the increased sulfur dioxide concentration, as well as contradictory data coming from national and local air monitoring networks. Currently available data prevents adequate public information.

Coalition 27 calls on the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency, the City of Bor Administration and the Bor Institute of Metallurgy and Mining to clarify to the public why the national and local air quality monitoring data differ. Due to such contradictions, citizens interpret the data independently, lose reliance in public institutions, and are forced to express their dissatisfaction through protests. At the same time, the institutions are obliged to provide transparent and comprehensible data, and to provide the citizens of Bor with real-time air quality information and information on whether the current quality of the air they breathe is safe for their health.

According to the Annual Report on Air Quality in Serbia for 2018, published by the Environmental Protection Agency at the end of August, the air in Bor was of the first category, which means, clean and slightly polluted. The report states that no average annual concentration of sulfur dioxide above the limit value (50 µg/m3) was recorded in Serbia during the previous year.

The latest available monthly report from the Agency states that during September 2019, there were 10 exceedances of daily sulfur dioxide limit values ​​at two metering stations in Bor and a total of 51 exceedances of hourly values ​​at three metering stations in that city.

On the other hand, data from the local monitoring network shows a different picture of air quality in Bor during 2018. A report produced by the Bor Institute of Metallurgy and Mining shows that the mean annual sulfur dioxide concentration was above the 50 µg/m3 limit value and was 70 µg/m3. Also, the latest available monthly report of the Institute for August this year shows 22 daily exceedances were recorded during that month. Real-time air quality data available on the Agency's website show that hourly concentrations of sulfur dioxide at the end of September reached values ​​well above 1250 µg / m3.

Bearing in mind the above information, which is publicly available, Coalition 27 points out that, according to the regulations in force in Serbia, the sulfur dioxide concentration is allowed to be 50 µg/m3 for the calendar year, the permitted daily limit values are 125 µg/m3 while the hourly limit is allowed 350 µg/m3. The daily values may not be exceeded more than 3 times during the calendar year, while the hourly limit values may not be exceeded more than 24 times for a period of one year.

Daily sulfur dioxide limit values in Bor are exceeded both according to information from the Environmental Protection Agency report and according to information from the Bor Institute of Metallurgy and Mining.

The Law on Air Protection prescribes a number of measures that can be taken by the state administration bodies and local self-government units in cases where the prescribed limit values for concentrations of pollutants in the air occur.

The citizens of Bor find the cause of the increased concentrations of sulfur dioxide in emissions coming from the copper smelter in that city. The public authorities must provide the public with reports on the annual balance sheet of pollutants in the air from the said source of pollution, which Serbia Zijin Bor Copper is obliged to submit to the authorities. We also invite Serbia Zijin Bor Copper to submit to the interested public its annual and monthly reports on air emissions and measurements made. In accordance with the requirements of ISO 14001, Serbia Zijin Bor Copper is obliged to communicate externally with stakeholders about information regarding the environmental management system.

Coalition 27 supports the citizens of Bor in their efforts to exercise their right to a healthy environment as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, and we invite the competent authorities to clarify to them what measures have been taken or will be taken to improve the air quality in their city and to measure them. sulfur dioxide concentrations decreased.

We also invite the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia to submit to the authorities and responsible operators a request for compliance with the existing regulations and standards of air quality in Serbia, as well as with the European Union environmental principles integrated into the legal framework of the Republic of Serbia, which, as a candidate country, is obliged to do in order to reach EU membership.

For further information please contact:

Dragoslava Stamenović

Public Relations Associate

Coalition 27

pr@koalicija27.org

+381 65 4102106

About Coalition 27:

Coalition 27 is a group of civil society organizations committed to protecting the environment, following Serbia's progress in Chapter 27 of the accession negotiations with the European Union, which covers the areas of environment and climate change.

Photo source: Belgrade Open School, from freepik.com