18.03.2021.
The 8th session of the Air Quality Monitoring Committee was held today in Slavonski Brod, with numerous participants representing the competent institutions, and Mrs Nirvana Franković Mihelj on behalf of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund.The 8th session of the Air Quality Monitoring Committee was held today in Slavonski Brod. The chairperson was Dunja Mazzocco Drvar, the head of the Directorate for Climate Activities at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. Other participants in the meeting included Mrs Nirvana Franković Mihelj on behalf of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, and the representatives of the: State Inspectorate, Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ), Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health (IMI), Brod-Posavina County, Institute for Public Health of Brod-Posavina County, and the representatives of the civil sector from the association Ekointegral. The meeting was hosted by the Town of Slavonski Brod.
The representatives of DHMZ and IMI provided an overview of the pollution data from measuring stations Slavonski Brod-1 and Slavonski Brod-2, and their meteorological context, showing that the current pollution was consistent with the trends over the last few years. The largest number of days with increased concentrations of particulate matter and benzo[a]pyrene was recorded in the colder part of the year, and in unfavourable weather conditions when the major pollutants were traffic, industry, and home furnaces.
The representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development expressed their appreciation of the fact that Town Slavonski Brod recognised that Oil refinery Brod was not the sole culprit for the pollution; as measurements and calculations had been showing for years, and it was further proved after the refinery stopped operation, the pollution was also coming from Slavonski Brod itself. They informed all attendees about the activities that had been implemented regarding the problem of pollution in Slavonski Brod and about those that would be implemented in the upcoming months.
Also mentioned were the options of financing from EU funds that would speed up the implementation of the measures, while further investments would reduce the contribution of certain sources of pollution. In order to be able to withdraw the funding from the Structural and Cohesion Funds, it is vital to adopt the Action Plan for improving air quality in Slavonski Brod, which is long overdue.
Deputy mayor Hrvoje Andrić detailed certain measures which the Town believed would significantly contribute to reducing the pollution, and the representatives of the Ministry advised the measures to be elaborated, their impact assessed and integrated into the plan.
The Ministry also expressed their willingness to provide expert assistance in developing the plan, while the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund would ensure its co-financing.
