Air Quality in Osijek Deteriorates Following Plastic Depot Blaze Days Ago
Fire in Osijek: What's in the Toxic Air?
October 9, 2023 - As the aftermath of the blazing plastic fire at Drava International in Osijek rages on, smoke and a funky smell of melting plastic still linger. The air quality in the area has reportedly worsened, with harmful toxic compounds now present, according to scientific assessments.
According to Index, several local schools remain closed, and air quality at measuring stations is deemed moderately polluted. Preliminary tests reveal the presence of carcinogenic formaldehyde in some smoke samples.
Zoran Pakšec, the county fire chief, told HRT that inaccessible piles continue to generate heat and burn, fueling the underground fire.
What Compounds Poison Osijek's Air?
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Nataša Turić, the director of the Public Health Institute of the Osijek-Baranja County, explained that the quick-volatilizing compounds don't linger in the air for long and their concentrations fluctuate based on wind direction and strength. All these chemical compounds require prolonged exposure to adversely affect health, which isn't the current situation.
The Fallout of the Fire Finale
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Miranda Glavaš-Kul, head of the Department of Education, stated that all high schools in Osijek and several elementary schools across various municipalities are temporarily shut down due to air contamination concerns.
Branimir Hackenberger Kutuzović, a biologist from the Institute for Quantitative Ecology of the Department of Biology of J. J. Strossmayer University in Osijek, commented on the consequences. He noted that today's situation is more hazardous than on the initial day, as high temperatures, wind, and the nature of the fire resulted in fewer harmful compounds being produced on the first day.
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Initial estimates suggest that between 60,000 and 360,000 tons of various plastic materials were torched, with as much as 11,000 to 70,000 tons potentially polluting Osijek's air. Underground fires continue to burn.
Environmental Woes
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Hackenberger Kutuzović underscored the need for the fire to be extinguished swiftly and for temperatures to drop below 100 degrees Celsius to prevent further emissions of harmful substances. He also emphasized the difficulty in assessing the contamination level of the affected soil, and warned that persistent compounds could survive on the surface for several years.
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Reducing Environmental Damage
Hackenberger Kutuzović admitted that environmental damage can't be reduced at this point, emphasizing the importance of prevention and ongoing public warnings to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Although the short-term exposure to harmful substances like formaldehyde might not have a significant long-term impact on human health, he added.
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- The Scientific assessments revealed the presence of carcinogenic formaldehyde in some smoke samples from the fire in Osijek, posing potential health risks.
- Branimir Hackenberger Kutuzović, a biologist from the Institute for Quantitative Ecology, warned that persistent compounds could survive on the surface for several years, potentially causing environmental issues.
- Initial estimates suggest that between 60,000 and 360,000 tons of various plastic materials were torched, with a potential upward of 70,000 tons polluting Osijek's air, worsening the local ecology.
- Miranda Glavaš-Kul, head of the Department of Education, called for temporary closures of all high schools in Osijek and several elementary schools across various municipalities due to air contamination concerns related to climate change and health-and-wellness.
