I wake up to a sore throat and stuffy nose. I blow my nose and black snot comes out. It is my third day in Krakow, Poland. The weather has been lovely, over 20 degrees during the day and the sun has been shining from a clear blue sky. You would not think the city has a serious smog and pollution problem when in fact it is one of the most polluted cities in Europe.
According to an article published in The Guardian in 2015 the pollution problem is worse during the winters and it is causing all kinds of health problems. The smog is visible in the air and people wear masks when walking outside. But now it is summer and there are no signs of smog in the air. The Vistula river that goes through the city of Krakow is shimmering in sunlight and people are scattered around the green grass on the riverside. There are no masks covering their faces, only sunglasses. You really would not think pollution is such a huge issue here.
The pollution problem in Krakow is a consequence of heating homes with cheap coal. That also explains why there is more smog in the air during the winter compared to summer. The homes do not need as much heating during the summers when the weather is warm. But the pollution is not caused by just one thing. Of course the traffic is also adding to the problem and power plants and factories near the city. Contrary to what many believe at first, those are only a small part of it. Heating is the biggest issue. Many homes still use coal, because it’s cheaper. The locals tell me that people do not burn only coal but whatever they have around to keep warm, such as trash and garbage.
I call my friend Krista who visited Krakow in the end of March. I am curious to know if she is aware of the pollution problem in the city and if she noticed it during her visit.
“Yes, it seemed like the air was a little foggy all the time”, Krista says. But she admits to not knowing about the pollution problem in Krakow. Her travel companion also had sore throat and a stuffy nose just like I do, but they just figured it was allergies.
Then she remembers: “There were a few people who were covering their mouths with masks.” It is common for people in Krakow to wear mouth and nose covering masks outside during the winter when the air quality is at its worst.
I asked Krista if knowing what I just told her she would have changed her travel plans. She said no. “We were in Poland for only a week. If it had been longer, then maybe I would have reconsidered.” Then she adds that she would not travel to Krakow in the winter though. “I think beginning of spring was a good time to come. Since the air was not really bad anymore.”
Krakow is not the only city in Europe that is having this problem. Citizens of many major cities in Europe suffer from bad air quality and pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) exposure to particulate matter in the air is decreasing life expectancy by an average of approximately one year. It is causing a higher risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and also lung cancer.
So can traveling to European cities be dangerous? If you are only there for a week or so, no. If you were to get any symptoms they would likely be gone within couple of days from returning to Finland. But it is something to keep in mind when planning a trip. Think about what time of year is a good time to visit Krakow or any other place. We often concentrate on the weather so maybe start also checking the air quality.
Finland in general has clean and fresh air, but even in Helsinki the air quality is not always premium. In the spring when all the snow melts away there is a lot of sand left on the roads. The dust from the sand can cause the air quality to decrease for a while before the sand is cleaned off. Also in Krakow the pollution problem is much bigger during the winter and on a sunny summer day you would not even know about it.