Garbage and Smoke Pollution in Poland

So I'm living in a city of 450,000 ppl, and for everyday over the last 2 weeks, there is tons of smoke in the air.

Is it the thing for ppl to burn everything they can find in their yards at this time of year??

I was riding my bike thru the areas in the outskirts of my city on Sunday and it seemed that everyone had a small fire for no appparent reason. There is a low level haze all over the sky, like a fog, but its all smoke.

This smoke pollution is terrible. Not good for the environment. They should have a burning ban like in North America and other parts of the world. What benefit is there for ppl to burn things?? none

Also there is a lake that i can see from my flat, and ppl go to have beers with friends around it on the weekends. They leave all their garbage around it. bottles, plastic bags....not to mention in all areas around the city.

From what i have seen, it seems that Poland and its ppl have little or no respect for the environment.

Just an observation

i think you should go around the world and see what happening to its environment before pointing at poland. just a thought:)

oh i'm actually quite aware of what happens in many parts of the world.

Mexico- I lived there for years. / There are ppl dumping toxic chemicals into rivers in my country. / Been all over the USA. / Seen what goes on in China, Japan, India, South America, etc.... from the media(mainstream & alternative)

I'm merely pointing out what i see on a daily basis. I'm not pointing at PL as I am living here.

Being a slob is not limited to any country.

sad but true. if the people wont do anything to stop this pollution then its just of no use. people should be educated about this things. (try educating people of south east asia.:) they will throw stone.

It's the cheapest way to heat your house. Not everyone is wealthy.


In the south, everyone burns the yard cleanings. Also, the crops are rotated and the fields are set aflame to fertilize the field for next year.


Have you ever been to NYC? I find most of PL to be a lot cleaner. Of course you'll find kids everywhere to leave their beer bottles and trash around hang out spots.

This might explain in part the current Polish exodus to Britain - burning garden refuse (having bonfires) is illegal on Sundays and Smokeless fuel is mandatory in almost all urban areas.

Come to Britain where the air is clearer on Sundays...

But of course the clearer air allows you to actually see the piles of rubbish on the streets of our cities so it is a two edged sword really:)

Come to Britain but bring a bin liner with you.... Could catch on

I didn't mention that since recycling facilities (rubbish dumps) aren't open on Sundays, there is the unofficial nationwide hobby of fly-tipping, which I notice hasn't caught on in Poland yet.

So Szarlotka is correct, come to Britain and bring lats of bin liners.

(I won't mention the sad lack of an incinerator in Guildford, it will only inflame matters)

[Moved from]: Smoke Pollution in Poland

gotta love it. :| this is the view today from my flat.\/

/albums/c191/xl1/OCT22007002-1.jpg - Poland pollution

I can't have my windows open unless I want to suck this stuff into my lungs.

Why can't cities, or Poland as a whole, ban outdoor burning?

Why add such pointless pollution to the air we breathe.

It is banned in Poland, you are not allowed to do it, but as with so many other things, it goes unnoticed.
One of the farmers last year was prosecuted for burning his potato roots and leafs, (which looks the same case here); however, the next week a Policeman who has a small weekend farm near here wasn’t touched when he burnt his straw stubble. Double standards or what!!!!

ya.... the policja seem to only care about writing chicken a$$ tickets for crossing the street in the zebra against the light, but yet the yahoo driving 100km/h+ weaving in and out of cars, down the city street doesn't even get noticed.

If someone was outdoor burning back home, the neighbours would call by-law enforcement,or even the fire dept and they would be put out.

There is a complete lack of a Policja presence in PL other than having 6 of them riding around in a van, in my opinion. They just don't seem to care.

while I was in Krakow 2 yrs ago, I noticed immediatly the hellish pollution. In addition, many of the builidings in Krakow are very old. This too calls for unhealthy living situation

nauczyciel,

I suggest that you visit New York City sometime. Parts of it are spotless while some other parts are filthy, smelly and disgusting. What a nice mosaic of contrasts :) Point being, no country is perfect :)