A measurement station has been installed at the PPK Velebit site in Gospić, Ličko‑Senjska County, to monitor airborne particulate matter and metal contamination. The station will record concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 and will analyze collected samples for the presence of metals. In addition, two sedimentators have been set up to capture total suspended solids and to test for heavy metals; one is positioned near the measurement station and the other in a nearby settlement. The sampling locations were chosen with consideration of prevailing wind directions to track potential dust dispersion. The station was installed by experts from the School of Public Health of Split‑Dalmatia County at the request of the City of Gospić. It will remain in place throughout the remediation of the illegal landfill to monitor its environmental and health impacts. Deputy director of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, Mirko Budiša, said the equipment will be used to begin a new phase of air‑quality monitoring at the site. County prefect Ernest Petry noted that the devices were installed for an initial period of one month, after which the county, in cooperation with the Fund, will continue measurements for the next year and, if necessary, longer. “By installing the equipment, a new period of air‑quality monitoring begins at this location. The results of the measurements and analyses should provide answers about particle concentrations and metal presence and serve as a basis for assessing the situation during the remediation of illegally disposed waste in Gospić,” the prefect said. Deputy mayor of Gospić, Ivica Kovačević, announced that air‑quality data will be monitored daily and made available to residents on a near‑daily basis.
Article source: Večernji List | Image credit: Večernji List