„AIR TRITIA – clean air in the heart of Europe“

The final conference of the AIR TRITIA project took place on 24th of November 2020.

Due to the pandemic, the conference took place online via Webex.

Conference participants saw the results of the analysis of the problem of air pollution based on modelling and its further verification by measurement, specific tools for recording and predicting pollution and its causes, the selected strategies and methods of solving the problem, which are considered efficient for the environment and human health, also from the socio-economic perspective.

It’s time for clean air!

At the beginning of the conference, the guests were welcomed by Marta Sláviková – Director of EGTC TRITIA and thanked the project partners for their help in implementing the project. After her, the guests were greeted by Doc. Ing. Petr Jančík, Ph.D. – Head of the Department of Environmental Protection in Industry, VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava.

They were followed by presentations dedicated to the activities and results of the project.

„AIR TRITIA“ – the ideas behind the project – Doc. Ing. Petr Jančík, Ph.D. – Head of the Department of Environmental Protection in Industry, VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava

As country borders are no borders for polluted air, it is necessary to develop instruments, strategies, and procedures aiming to reduce the pollution on an international scale. As part of the AIR TRITIA project, we have selected particular solutions for the Czech-Polish-Slovak cross-border region, which has experienced serious air quality problems for a long time now.  

„The sources of pollution – industrial sources, local sources of energy, transport“ - RNDr. Jan Bitta, Ph.D. – Department of Environmental Protection in Industry, VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava 

In order to describe the pollution emission and immission in a given region, it was necessary to analyse comprehensive and detailed qualitative data concerning all the existing anthropogenic sources of pollution in the three countries. Then, a standardised common database for the TRITIA region was developed. Erroneous data were corrected, whereas the correctness of the used data was assessed by experts from the three countries participating in the project. The methodology of calculating the pollution factors was also unified. The data was analysed retrospectively for the years 2006, 2010, and 2015, and prospectively for the following periods: 2020/25/30/35/2040. All the data connected with the emissions of air pollutants from road transport were based on the transport models developed by the University of Žilina.

„Road transport – modelling and measuring“ – Ing. Dušan Jandačka, Ph.D. – The University of Žilina

The PTV Visum software was used to develop transport models for the territories of the countries and regions involved. Modelling was conducted in the TRITIA territory, based on the data on road networks available in GIS, and it was connected with air pollution monitoring, concentrating on pollution originating from road transport: PM10, PM2.5, and PM1.

„The distribution of aerosol particulates in selected points of the Czech-Polish border area“ – Dr hab. Krystian Skubacz – The Central Mining Institute in Katowice

The presentation will analyse the results of the measurements of aerosol granularity distribution in the size range from several nanometres to 20 μm in the aera of the weather station in Racibórz as well as on the top and at the base of the closed mineshaft František in the village of Horní Suchá.

„Air pollution modelling and AQMS (Air Quality Management System)“ - doc. Ing. Petr Jančík, Ph.D. – Head of the Department of Environmental Protection in Industry, VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava

As part of the project, a unique system was developed, whose purpose is to monitor the relationship between air pollution emission and immission as well as other relationships crucial for air quality management in the functional areas of the cities from various regions, including cross-border regions such as TRITIA. The system is based on a standardised database, mathematic models, and a user interface available at: https://aqms.vsb.cz .

„The system for short-term predictions of suspended particulate matter concentration for the TRITIA region partner cities (PWS – Prediction Warning System)“ – Dr. Leszek Ośródka, Zakład Modelowania Zanieczyszczeń Powietrza [Air Pollution Modelling Institute] in Katowice / IMGW-PIB

The presentation will introduce the idea of short-term air quality predictions for the TRITIA partner cities. The subjects discussed in the presentation will cover prediction algorithms as well as the generation, distribution and result visualisation methods. The results of the prediction verification and verifiability will be presented along the options of its implementation in other areas.

„Strategic air quality management for cities and regions“ – doc. Ing. Lubor Hruška, Ph.D., ACCENDO – Centre for Science and Research in Ostrava

The introduction to strategic air quality management at the regional and local level. The presentation of the differences in strategy development in particular territorial dimensions. The outlining and justification of the scope of the strategy (temporal and spatial). The legislative context of strategic management for local governments.

At the end of the conference, the cities involved in the project - Rybnik, Žilina, Opole, Ostrava and Opava, presented activities and their results.

PDF prezentations:

01_Petr Jančík

02_Petr Jančík

Dusan Jandacka

Jan Bitta

Krystian Skubacz

Leszek Ośródka

Lubor Hruska

Opava

Opole

Ostrava

Rybnik

Zilina