Air pollution - State and impacts (Slovakia)

Since 1990, Slovakia has made progress in reducing many forms of air pollution in order to protect human health and ecosystems. A range of limit and target values have been implemented to ensure protection, e.g. in the Act No 137/2010 Coll. of the Law on Air protection.

Air pollution in urban areas

The whole territory of the Slovak republic was divided into zones and agglomerations and, on the basis of air assessments in each zone/agglomeration, monitoring regimes were defined. Results from monitoring of urban areas showed that air pollution caused by particulate matter (PM₁₀) is currently the main problem still causing human health problems in many cities and surrounding areas. In 2009, the daily limit value was exceeded at 15 of 32 stations. In Figure 1, the number of exceedances of the daily limit PM₁₀ value at selected monitoring stations in Slovakia is shown.

In 2009, no agglomeration showed exceeded levels of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) in hourly or daily values beyond the public health limit (125 μg SO₂.m^-3). The annual limit value for human health of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) (40 μg NO₂.m^-3) was exceeded only at two station. However, no station showed any exceedance of the limit value beyond the tolerance threshold (see Figure 2).

At present, the carbon monoxide (CO) pollution level is relatively low and the limit value is not exceeded at any monitoring station. Air pollution by lead and other heavy metals do not pose a major risk in Slovakia; concentrations do not exceed the upper threshold evaluation limit.

Link to EEA CSI:

http://themes.eea.europa.eu/IMS/ISpecs/ISpecification20080701123452/IAssessment1219309276318/view_content

Link to Enviroportal - Environmental Indicators (in Slovak):

http://enviroportal.sk/indikatory/detail.php?kategoria=2&id_indikator=2488#

Tropospheric ozone

Average concentrations of tropospheric ozone in Slovakia grew during the years 1973–90 by approximately 1 μg.m^-3 per year. After 1990, no significant trend in average concentrations has been recorded. In Figure 3, the annual average ozone (O₃) concentration at selected monitoring stations in Slovakia is shown.

Link to EEA CSI:

http://themes.eea.europa.eu/IMS/ISpecs/ISpecification20091007131526/full_spec

Link to Enviroportal - Environmental Indicators (in Slovak):

http://enviroportal.sk/indikatory/detail.php?kategoria=303&id_indikator=2685

In Figure 4, the number of exceedances of the ozone target value for the protection of human health (8 h mean 120 μg.m^–3) is shown, averaged over 2007–09 (the target value must not be exceeded on more than 25 days per calendar year averaged over three years).

Link to Enviroportal - Environmental Indicators (in Slovak):

http://enviroportal.sk/indikatory/detail.php?kategoria=2&id_indikator=454#

Regional air pollution

Regional air pollution is monitored at four monitoring station in Slovakia. In 2009, results showed that concentrations of sulphur dioxide, sulphates, nitrogen oxides and nitrates were not exceeded at any regional station.