Ambient Air Quality as a Condition of Effective Healthcare Therapy on the Example of Selected Polish Health Resorts

• Main Authors: Dominik Kobus, Beata Merenda, Izabela Sówka, Anna Chlebowska-Styś, Alicja Wroniszewska
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-08-01
• Series: Atmosphere
• Subjects: air quality; ambient air; particulate matter; health resort
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/8/882

This article discusses the importance of air quality for the organization and functioning of health resorts. Ten different types of resorts located in various regions of Poland were compared in terms PM₁₀ concentration. Additionally, comparative analysis of the high-PM₁₀ episodes was performed in three urban agglomerations located near the analyzed health resorts. The article also discusses formal, legal, and economic instruments that are the basis for legislative actions as tools for managing the air quality in the selected resorts. The analysis of the average annual concentrations in 2015–2019 did not show any exceedances of the PM₁₀ limit value for any of the health resorts studied. High PM₁₀ concentration values in 2018 were recorded for the number of days in exceedance of the limit value, especially in the health resorts of Uniejów, Ciechocinek, and Szczawno-Zdrój. Health resorts located in the south of Poland were identified as the most at risk in terms of the occurrence of limit value exceedances, information, and alert thresholds. It was concluded that the implementation of the so called “anti-smog” resolutions, including the development of financial support for changing the heating system to eliminate coal boilers and furnaces, is absolutely necessary for air quality improvement.