Plans are underway to expand the automated air quality monitoring network in the Mykolaiv region

A fixed air quality monitoring station. Photo for illustrative purposes: Kyiv City Council

Two fixed automated air pollution monitoring stations are to be installed in the Mykolaiv region. Once these are operational, there are plans to expand the network of such stations across the region.

NikVesti was informed of this by the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration in response to an information request.

It should be noted that the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration is currently procuring two monitoring stations, complete with software, for indicative measurements as part of the air quality monitoring system. Their cost amounts to 2 million 91 thousand hryvnias.

The specific locations where the equipment will be installed have not yet been determined. The Regional Military Administration noted that the sites will be selected in accordance with the technical and organisational requirements set out in the procurement documentation, as well as taking into account the operational requirements of the monitoring system.

At the same time, the draft procurement contract specifies that the stations must be located within 150 kilometres of the contracting authority’s premises.

«It is envisaged that fixed automated air pollution monitoring stations will be situated at a distance of up to 150 kilometres from the contracting authority’s premises — the office at: Mykolaiv, 16 Tsentralnyi Avenue, as specified in the draft procurement contract, which has been published on the Prozorro online public procurement platform,» the response to the enquiry states.

According to the Regional Military Administration, the system is intended to help identify and monitor the levels of pollutant emissions. The plan is to use this data to develop measures to reduce emissions in the most polluted areas or in locations requiring monitoring due to their environmental value.

It is also noted that two similar indicative monitoring stations are already operational in Mykolaiv — at 10, 68 Desantnykiv Street and 1-A, 1st Voienna Street. The first of these measures, in particular, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia and particulate matter, whilst the second measures particulate matter.

The Regional Military Administration noted that, following the commissioning of the new stations, the issue of expanding the automated air quality monitoring network across the Mykolaiv region will be considered.

«The department is currently working on the procurement of two fixed automated air pollution monitoring stations, complete with software for indicative measurements. Once the aforementioned stations have been commissioned, the issue of expanding the automated air quality monitoring network across the Mykolaiv region will be considered,» the response to the enquiry states.

The monitoring results must be made available to the air quality management authorities and published on the Unified State Open Data Portal.

Screenshot of the response to the request NikVesti

Screenshot of the response to the request NikVesti

Screenshot of the response to the request NikVesti

It should be recalled that Alla Riazhskykh, a member of the Mykolaiv Regional Council and chair of the standing committee on environmental issues, previously noted that the available monitoring data do not always reflect the actual situation. In particular, she expressed doubts about the accuracy of the figures currently provided by the Mykolaiv Hydrometeorological Centre, citing outdated equipment. This is precisely why the Mykolaiv region has decided to invest in the installation of new monitoring systems.

It was also reported that formaldehyde has been the main air pollutant in Mykolaiv for many years.

Journalists from NikVesti investigated what formaldehyde actually is, why its levels are rising, and how to reduce its impact on health. Read about this in the explainer: «What’s the situation with the air in Mykolaiv and how does formaldehyde affect health? We explain».

Air quality is also deteriorating due to fires. For example, in 2022–2023 on the Kinburn Spit, 5.5 million tonnes of pollutants were released into the atmosphere.

A great many harmful substances are also released into the air because people burn leaves without thinking about the consequences. To find out why you shouldn’t burn leaves and how it harms your health, read the article at NikVesti.