Smog in Athens and Attica rose by 2 to 2.5 times, higher than the usual cold evening in the Greek capital due to the massive traditional grilling on Tsiknopempti, the Smokey Thursday, on February 16.
Speaking to state broadcaster ERT, Director of Research of the Athens Observatory, Evangelos Gerasopoulos, said about the smog that covered the Attic sky and not only on Tsiknopempi.
“What we measured and found was that compared to the usual evening levels, where we have concentrations around 70 to 90 micrograms per cubic meter, last night (February 16) and even earlier in the evening, we had very high concentrations that in some areas of Athens exceeded 250 micrograms per cubic meter”, Gerasopoulos revealed.
He characterized the value as borderline as it was 2 to 2.5 times higher than the usual cold evenings in Athens.
Asked how and when the sky will clear of health-threatening atmospheric pollutants, he replied that the atmosphere clears in the morning hours as the phenomenon diminishes.
“Around 11 in the evening we see that the situation in the entire basin of Attica is very difficult, with prices that in some areas exceeding 200 micrograms. Accordingly, other evenings this winter concentration levels hit “orange’ and ‘red’ but almost in small concentrations. It is a phenomenon that we have also seen in many other cities of Greece”, he explained.
He stressed that in addition to the smog caused by the massing BBQ on Tsiknopempti, the smog from fireplaces and stoves causes a burden on our health.
“The limit established by the World Health Organization is 15 micrograms per cubic meter. The average price of the day is 15μg this year which is a special year and was more elevated, while in the evenings we exceed 70, 80 and 100 micrograms per cubic meter. We are much higher” the Director of Research of the Athens Observatory pointed.
“He stressed that in addition to the smog caused by the massing BBQ on Tsiknopempti, the smog from fireplaces and stoves causes a burden on our health.”
Could that statement be a test bed for later outlawing wood burning devices in metropolitan areas? That’s currently happening in the UK.
The main burden on our collective health is governments who demonstrably don’t give a flying duck about the ordinary man and woman doing their absolute damnedest to keep the various wolves from their doors.