V.3 THE AGGLOMERATION OF OSTRAVA/ KARVINÁ/FRÝDEK-MÍSTEK

The agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek (O/K/F-M) is one of the most urbanized and industrialized areas in Central Europe. Geographically, it covers the southwestern part (approx. one fifth) of the Upper Silesian basin, extending for the greater part in the territory of the Republic of Poland. The area has historical loads from extensive industrial activities in the Upper Carboniferous basin. The sources of ambient air pollution in this area include high concentration of industrial production, high density of built-up areas with local heating using solid fuels and concentrated transport infrastructure on both sides of the Czech-Polish border. Specific problems of the area are caused, for example, by emissions from burning slag heaps and by the significant effect of fugitive emissions from large industrial facilities. The villages and towns in most of the agglomeration territory are very close to each other, almost connected (the so-called Silesian type of house building), and the industrial zones are part of the towns. The concentrations of suspended particles measured at the stations classified as rural or background are significantly higher than at similarly classified stations in other parts of the Czech Republic. This is caused by high emissions in the cross-border area, i.e. not only by the production of pollutants produced by sources on the Czech side of the border, but also by the transborder exchange of pollutants with the Republic of Poland (for more details see e.g. the results of transborder projects Air Silesia and Clean Border¹). Due to above-the-limit concentrations of some pollutants recorded in the long term, the area is covered by a dense network of 19 air pollution monitoring stations².

V.3.1 Ambient air quality in the agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek

Suspended particles PM₁₀ and PM_2.5

The limit value concentrations of suspended particles and some other pollutants bound to them, e.g. poly-cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), are exceeded in the agglomeration of O/K/F-M in the long term.

The values measured not only at urban localities of the agglomeration rank high in the statistical records within the Czech Republic. The highest annual average concentrations of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 are measured at the localities near the Czech-Polish border, affected by emissions both from the Czech Republic and the Republic of Poland. Concentrations below the limit values are measured mostly in the southern part of the agglomeration at background and rural localities of the Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts. and their foothills. PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations in the agglomeration are characterized by more prominent growth in the winter period in comparison with other areas of the Czech Republic. Despite this, average concentrations of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 at industrial localities during the summer period reach the annual limit value; in other words, air pollution by PM in the agglomeration is not a problem only in the cold half of the year and during smog situations. The ratio of PM_2.5/PM₁₀ concentrations is higher in the Moravia-Silesia region than in other parts of the CR, i.e. the share of fine particles in PM₁₀ is higher mainly in the cold part of the year.

In 2014 limit-exceeding annual average concentrations of PM₁₀ particles were measured in the towns in the Karviná area and at industrial localities in Ostrava and at Ostrava-Zábřeh, where local interference occurred during the course of the year due to the construction of a link between two adjoining roads (Fig. V.3.1). Limit-exceeding annual average concentrations of PM_2.5 were measured at all localities monitoring this fraction, with the exception of the background locality Čeladná in the foothills of the Beskydy Mts. (Fig. V.3.2). Unlike other areas, the measuring stations in the O/K/F-M agglomeration record limit-exceeding daily concentrations of PM₁₀ also in summer months, even in suburban localities. The annual course of PM₁₀ pollution was typical in the year 2014. The highest share of the days with above-the-limit values was recorded as usually in the cold part of the year during the heating season; some of the least favourable months were January, March, November and December (Fig. V.3.3). The permissible number of 35 days with above-the-limit daily concentration set by the legislation was exceeded in 2014 at all localities with continuous measurement of PM₁₀ with the exception of the background locality Čeladná. At the most polluted localities, the limit was exceeded already in the first three months of the calendar year. In the village of Věřňovice, close to the Czech-Polish border in the Karviná region, the limit-exceeding daily values occurred on more than 100 days (Fig. V.3.4).

During long episodes with inversions, concentrations of pollutants (especially suspended particles) gradually increase, leading to exceedances of limit values and threshold values for smog situations. Even in the abnormally warm year of 2014, smog situations were announced in the agglomeration due to the exceedance of threshold values for suspended PM₁₀ particles. Two smog situations occurred in January, one occurred in March, and one occurred in November. In addition, the most intensive smog situation of the year, which also affected the Třinec region and the Moravia-Silesia and Central Moravia zones, occurred in the first decade of December, when a lengthy and geographically extensive deterioration of air quality occurred between the 4^th and 8^th of December 2014. During this period, a 37-hour regulatory notice concerning sources significantly contributing to air pollution was issued in the Moravia-Silesia zone. In the O/K/F-M agglomeration, no regulatory notice was issued, because other legislative requirements were not met (Chapter. VI).

The course of air pollution in 2014 was positively influenced by the relatively warm first and last quarter of the year. In comparison with the previous year, the total number of days with above-the-limit daily concentrations of PM₁₀ per calendar year decreased in at localities of the agglomeration. By contrast, increases occurred at the localities Věřňovice, Orlová and Ostrava-Přívoz. Annual average concentrations of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 particles in the agglomeration in 2014 mostly slightly decreased (Fig. V.3.1).

In year-on-year comparison, there was a decrease of annual average concentrations at both urban and rural localities. In 2014, similarly as in 2007 and 2008, the annual average concentration of PM₁₀ at rural localities of the agglomeration decreased in 2014 just below the annual limit value. Fluctuations of these concentrations are significantly influenced by meteorological conditions prevailing in the respective years (mainly in the cold periods). In years with the occurrence of longer episodes with inversions (2005, 2006, 2010), the annual average values increased (Fig. V.3.1). In 2014, for a second year in a row, the average value of the 36^th average daily concentration of PM₁₀ decreased at both urban and rural localities. The value of this parameter was comparable to that measured in 2008. Average concentrations at both types of localities nevertheless still significantly exceed the daily limit.

Nitrogen dioxide NO₂

In 2014, annual average concentrations of NO₂ did not exceed their limits at any of the monitored localities in the agglomeration. Concentrations of NO₂ at both urban and rural localities slightly decreased in 2014 compared with the previous year. Since 2010 a very slight decreasing trend can be observed at all types of localities except industrial ones. Also decreasing were concentrations at the hot spot locality Ostrava-Českobratrská, which is focused at monitoring pollution originating mainly from transport; a below-the-limit annual average concentration was measured here only for the second time since measurements commenced in 2005 (Fig. V.3.5).

Benzo[a]pyrene

The level of air pollution caused by benzo[a]pyrene is a very serious problem in the whole transboundary area of Silesia and Moravia. In 2014 the annual average concentrations in the agglomeration recorded almost threefold to ninefold exceedances of the limit value. The highest concentration was again measured at the industrial locality Ostrava-Radvanice. With regard to considerably high concentrations measured in southern Poland, it can be assumed that similarly high levels occur also in the Czech-Polish boundary area (Fig. V.3.6). Concentrations at most localities were comparable to those recorded in 2013.

The annual course of benzo[a]pyrene concentrations exhibits maximum levels in the cold parts of the year whereas summer concentrations are lower. A slightly decreasing year-to-year trend of annual average concentrations can be observed at industrial localities.

Ground-level ozone

In 2014, the number of exceedances of the limit value for ground-level ozone (maximum daily 8-hour average) on average over three years did not exceed the permissible number of 25 days at any of the localities within the agglomeration. The number of days on which this limit was exceeded decreased slightly at all localities compared to the previous year. Overall, concentrations of ground-level ozone have been showing a decreasing trend since 2006 (Fig. V.3.7). In the O/K/F-M agglomeration, between the 10^th and 12^th of July 2014, a smog situation was announced due to high one-hour concentrations of ground-level ozone; this situation lasted for 36 hours (Chapter VI.).

Further evaluation

For the second year in a row, annual average concentrations of benzene did not reach their limit in 2014 at any of the localities in the agglomeration. Decreases were detected at most measuring stations in year-on-year comparison.

Concentrations of carbon moNO_xide remain below the limit value in the long term in spite of the fact that the values measured in the agglomeration are higher than in other areas of the Czech Republic, in connection with higher emissions from industrial sources (Fig. V.1).

Concentrations of sulphur dioxide in the agglomeration do not exceed the limit values for the protection of human health. The annual average concentrations decreased slightly at most stations (Fig. V.1). Higher concentrations are reached in industrial localities and at localities near the state boundary with the Republic of Poland.

Since the year 2006, concentrations of metals in PM₁₀ suspended particles have decreased in the agglomeration. Limit values were not exceeded in 2014. Compared to the year 2013, concentrations of cadmium, arsenic, copper, manganese, iron and zinc tended to stagnate. A decreasing trend continued in the case of lead and nickel concentrations at industrial stations in Ostrava.

V.3.2 Emissions in the agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek

Individual categories of emission sources in the O/K/F-M agglomeration have a different distribution than in other areas of the Czech Republic. As concerns primary emissions of TSP, the dominant position is occupied by emissions from large industrial sources (about 2/3 share), followed by emissions from residential heating (30 %). The share of traffic in total emissions of TSP is not very significant³. The total quantity of TSP emissions produced in the area is an order higher than the emissions reported in the agglomeration of Prague and the agglomeration of Brno. In the case of benzo[a]pyrene, the share of emissions from residential heating represents approximately one-half of the total annual emission. There is a significant share of emissions from large industrial sources (38 %), which are not reported at all by the remaining agglomerations, and traffic has a smaller share (9 %). Total emissions in the O/K/F-M agglomeration are approximately five times as high as in the agglomeration of Prague and eight times as high as in the agglomeration of Brno. As concerns SO₂ and NO₂ emissions from stationary sources, absolutely dominant in the agglomeration (95 %) are emissions from large REZZO 1 sources⁴.

At present there are more than 800 individually registered plants – sources of ambient air pollution included in the REZZO 1 and REZZO 2 database. Only several dozens of them have their significant contribution to total emissions. These include primarily metallurgy (agglomeration of ores, production of pig iron, steel and metal casting), coke production, production of electric energy (e.g. power station Třebovice and power station Dětmarovice) and thermal energy suppliers. Approximately 15 most significant plants produce annually 90 % of all emissions from individually monitored sources, while the considerable share is contributed also by hardly determinable fugitive emissions of TSP, produced e.g. in storage areas, handling of loose materials and in industrial buildings with dusty operations. In year-on-year comparison between 2012 and 2013, there was a slight increase in reported emissions of TSP (approx. 6 %) and CO (approx. 7 %). By contrast, emissions of SO₂ decreased by about 4 %.

According to the outputs of the 2011 general census, heating in households is predominantly supplied by central sources of heat energy (about 59 % of flats), followed by gas boiler stations and local gas boilers (about 25 % of flats). There are significant differences in the evaluated area resulting primarily from the character of the structure of dwellings in the districts of Ostrava, Karviná and Frýdek-Místek. In the district of Frýdek-Místek the share of flats heated locally by solid fuels amounts to 20 %, in the district of Karviná 8 % and in the district of Ostrava only 4 %. This fact, stressed moreover by higher average altitude of settlements in the district of Frýdek-Místek and by larger average flat area, is apparent primarily in emissions with a more significant share of the REZZO 3 category, i.e. in TSP and particles, VOC, benzene and mainly in benzo[a]pyrene emissions.

In the period 2002–2013 the above-mentioned significant sources recorded decreases of all monitored emissions (e.g. TSP by about 50 %, SO₂ and NO_x by about 25 %). The decrease of emissions is partly the result of a decline in production of pig iron and the associated production of metallurgical coke and steel related, for example, to the shutdown of the coking plant Jan Šverma and some of the production technologies of EVRAZ Vítkovice Steel in Ostrava. Simultaneously, a number of important measures have been implemented in the recent period, mainly to reduce TSP and toxic emissions of heavy metals and POP bound to them. In spite of these positive trends, the production of emissions of the mentioned pollutants, but also of other pollutants, such as CO and VOC, is still high and contributes to deteriorated ambient air quality not only in the territory of the agglomeration, but also in the neighbouring districts and regions including the Republic of Poland.

The share of emissions from household heating in the air pollution load of the whole agglomeration is questionable. An important factor, manifested primarily in the local ambient air quality, is the higher probability of operating dual-fuel domestic household heating systems (e.g. combining a natural gas boiler with a furnace or fireplace for burning wood), which cannot be correctly evaluated based on census data. Similarly, the structure of operating solid fuel boilers, as concerns their types, age and emission class, is in terms of ambient air quality evaluation rather unfavourable. If year-to year changes occur in the production of emissions from household heating, they are connected mainly with the meteorological situation in the given year, i.e. with temperatures especially during the cold half of the year and thus the length of the heating season. Past or current programmes for the improvement of ambient air quality, e.g. supporting environmentally sound methods for producing heat and hot water through the Green Savings Programme or the Boiler Subsidy Programme, have not yet produced changes in the overall structure of household heating sources which would significantly reduce the number of outdated combustion devices and replace them with environmentally friendly ones.

V.3.3 Conclusion

In 2014 there was a slight decrease of most pollution characteristics in the O/K/F-M agglomeration thanks to abnormally high temperatures over the course of the year. Despite this, long-term concentrations of suspended PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 particles and benzo[a]pyrene at most localities remain above the limit. In 2014, smog situations in the territory of the agglomeration were announced due to exceedances of threshold values for suspended PM₁₀ particles and ground-level ozone.

In the agglomeration, there is a specific representation of shares of individual categories of emission sources. In all registered pollutants with the exception of benzo[a]pyrene, emissions from REZZO 1 sources prevail. These emissions nevertheless represent a significant share also in the case of benzo[a]pyrene (38 %).

 

Fig. V.3.1 Average annual PM₁₀ concentrations in selected localities and at individual types of stations, agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek, 2006–2014

Fig. V.3.2 Average annual PM_2.5 concentrations, agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek, 2004–2014

Fig. V.3.3 Number of days with concentrations of PM₁₀ > 50 µg.m^-3 in individual months, incl. total number of exceedances, agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek, 2014

Fig. V.3.4 Number of exceedances of 24-hour limit value for PM₁₀ in selected localities and the 36^th highest 24-hour concentrations of PM₁₀ at individual types of stations, agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek, 2006–2014

Fig. V.3.5 Average annual NO₂ concentrations in selected localities and at individual types of stations, agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek, 2006–2014

Fig. V.3.6 Average annual benzo[a]pyrene concentrations, agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek, 2000–2014

Fig. V.3.7 Number of exceedances of the limit value of O₃ in the average for three years, agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek, 2006–2014

Fig. V.3.8 Field of the annual concentration of NO₂, agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek, 2014

Fig. V.3.9 Field of the 36^th highest 24-hour concentration of PM₁₀, agglomeration of Ostrava/Karviná/Frýdek-Místek, 2014

---

¹The project Ambient air quality improvement in the border area of the Czech Republic and Poland (www.cleanborder.eu) and the project Air quality information system in the Polish-Czech border area in the Silesian region and the Moravia-Silesia region (www.air-silesia.eu) within the Operation programme of transborder cooperation Czech Republic–Republic of Poland 2007–2013.

²The evaluation presented below shows measured concentrations air pollution monitoring stations in the southern part of the Silesian voivodeships in the Republic of Poland, see http://stacje.katowice.pios.gov.pl/monitoring). Data of comparable quality are available only since the year 2010.
 
³The estimated share of traffic in total air pollution in the district Ostrava-město in the winter period without resuspension is about 12 % for TSP and 16 % for NO_x (Jedlička et al. 2013).

⁴Evaluated on the basis of data for the year 2013. The final data for the year 2014 were not available during the preparation of this yearbook.