SHMU Launches Modernised Network for Air Pollution Monitoring

Bratislava, January 26 (TASR) – The monitoring of air quality in Slovakia has improved, with the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMU) having restored 35 monitoring stations and employed new mobile monitoring vehicles, along with unifying data transmission to a central database, TASR learnt on Tuesday.

The project has cost more than €4.3 million, of which more than €3 million came from European funds, with the rest provided by the Slovak state budget and SHMU.

Air quality has been measured in Slovakia since 1969. “We have hundreds of monitoring points across the country. They’re constantly exposed to weather. They’re operating day and night, continuously, and so they’ve grown old, with the operating cost also increasing considerably. The original stations had already been pretty outdated and prone to failures. I’m happy that by purchasing these new monitoring devices we can further improve the quality of SHMU’s output,” SHMU general director Martin Benko said at a presentation of the new equipment.

“We want to make sure that the public is able to get information on air quality in their neighbourhood and on how substances that may threaten their lives and health get into the atmosphere. By modernising this equipment, we’ll be able to receive detailed data on a top level in global terms,” said Environment Minister Peter Ziga.

The system works on-line, and people can access all relevant data on SHMU’s website shmu.sk.