Poland issues emergency alerts in 8 provinces as smog crisis worsens

Poland's national crisis management center has issued emergency text alerts to residents in eight provinces, warning of dangerously poor air quality as environmental groups describe the situation as a public health crisis, local media reported on Thursday.

TVP World reported that the Government Center for Security (RCB) sent the alerts advising people in affected regions to avoid strenuous outdoor activity and to limit time spent outside due to elevated pollution levels.

The warnings focus on high concentrations of PM10, particulate matter with a diameter of up to 10 micrometers, a key indicator used in air quality monitoring. Elevated PM10 levels can irritate the eyes, nose and throat and pose serious risks to people with asthma or heart conditions, while smog can also contain carcinogenic metals and organic compounds, experts say in the report.

Environmental group Polish Smog Alarm, also in the report, said the situation had reached a crisis point.

"For two weeks we have had a crisis situation in Poland," the group said, warning that air pollution levels had risen to heights "not seen for many years" and posed "a serious threat to human health and life."

The organization highlighted the southeastern city of Rzeszow as a major hotspot, with other affected areas including Lomza, Gdansk, Krakow and Katowice. In some cities, PM10 levels were reported to exceed acceptable seasonal limits by more than six times.

Authorities in Rzeszow announced free public transport on Friday in an effort to curb vehicle emissions. However, experts say road traffic plays a secondary role, with coal-fired domestic heating identified as the main source of winter pollution.

According to the National Centre for Emissions Management, household heating accounts for 80-90% of PM10 pollution during the winter months.