High content of formaldehyde in the air of Mykolaiv: an environmentalist suggests developing a program to reduce pollution

To reduce the level of formaldehyde in the air of Mykolaiv, it is necessary to develop a program of environmental safety of atmospheric air in the city, taking into account European experience.

Such a proposal was voiced by Liudmyla Hryhorieva, head of the Department of Ecology at the Petro Mohyla University Medical Institute, in a comment to NikVesti.

We would like to remind you that in 2023, Mykolaiv recorded the highest concentration of formaldehyde in the air among Ukrainian cities.

Lyudmila Grigoryeva believes that it is possible to influence the reduction of the formaldehyde level. For this, it is necessary to create a program of environmental safety of the atmospheric air in Mykolaiv. In addition, the city needs to limit the movement of heavy-duty trucks, reduce the number of minibuses and increase the number of electric vehicles.

She also recalled that exceeding the maximum permissible concentrations of formaldehyde in the air is more typical for the spring-autumn period due to its physical and chemical properties. In sunny weather and at high air temperatures, formaldehyde spreads much faster, the expert explains.

«According to observations, a car running on natural gas emits exhaust with a concentration of formaldehyde of 0.177 mg/m3, which is 2-3 times higher than when using gasoline. It was also proven today that there is a correlation between the increase in gas vehicles and formaldehyde emissions,» the specialist said.

Research shows that before the war, about 15,000 trucks transited through Mykolaiv every year (more than 40 trucks a day, and even more during the grain transportation season). According to a preliminary assessment, with such a scale of running trucks, the amount of pollutants amounts to more than 31 tons.

What is formaldehyde, why its indicators are increasing and how to reduce its impact on health, read in the NikVesty explainer: «What's wrong with the air in Mykolaiv and how does formaldehyde affect health?» Let's explain».

Air quality in Mykolaiv

In 2023, Mykolaiv took fourth place in the ranking of Ukrainian cities with the most polluted air.

As early as 2020, the air quality index in Mykolaiv reached a level harmful to humans. The largest polluters of atmospheric air in 2021 were the Mykolaiv Alumina Plant, the Yugcement enterprise, and the Mykolaivgaz gas transportation system operator.

In general, the situation with the biggest air pollutants in the Mykolayiv region remains unchanged from year to year. According to 2018 data, Mykolaiv Alumina Plant, Yugcement and Mykolaivgaz were also the biggest air polluters in the region.