In the Maribor area alone, the allowed concentrations of these particulates were exceeded 167 times in January. The highest recorded value was 164 micrograms per cubic meter, while the recommended value for outdoor activities without restrictions is between 0 and 40 micrograms per cubic meter.

Officials at the Institute for Public Health war that the concentrations are alarmingly high. In late January, the air in Slovenia was more polluted than in Beijing, China. Even though the relevant authorities are cautioning about the elevated particulate levels, providing instructions about proper heating techniques, and warning against outdoor activities, the situation is not changing.

Representatives of Maribor’s inter-municipal office explain that there was more air pollution this year because people were not prepared for such a long winter. Some ran out of heating fuel and resorted to poor-quality or wet wood, as well as plastics, packaging, and other waste.

Private heating devices are the primary source of pollution
Two thirds of the dangerous particulates come from private heating units. Officials at the Maribor municipality say that violators should be reported to the Inspectorate for the Environment. When the inspectorate receives a report of a violation, it alerts a chimney sweeping company to check on the violator. However, the inspectorate admits that the violator doesn’t end up being fined. The reason – chimneysweeps have to make an appointment to visit the alleged violator, which makes the use of unsuitable fuels difficult to prove. The age of the heating units – 20 years or more on average – is another problem. According to the Inspector for the Environment, the proscribed fine for unsuitable fuel is 1200 euros, but not a single citation has been issued.

Austria has set up district heating
Officials at the Inspectorate for the Environment stress that the chimney sweeping companies issue few citations for unsuitable heating devices. A possible solution could come in the form of special measuring units that could analyze the release of particulates. However, neither the technology nor the legislation has been defined.

That’s why we are headed just a few kilometers across the border to neighboring Austria. Here, we see no evidence of smoke emerging for chimneys for hours on end or smoke hanging over residential communities. According to the mayor of Spielfeld, the problem was solved years ago, when the town set up district heating, in which more than 100 households and public buildings take part. Where there is no access to district heating, residents have ben offered two different types of subsidies: national and regional. This way, the town has managed to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions by 100 metric tons a year.

As the mayor of Spielfeld explains, the burning of waste, plastics, and similar materials is illegal and is immediately penalized. Chimneysweeps also have more authority than in Slovenia. Each incident is reported to the community and the police by residents, and the violator receives a significant fine.

Nina Cverlin, TV Slovenija

Translated by J. B.