Poland's air quality worsens despite billions spent on cleaner heating

Polish Alarm Smogowy (PAS) warns that air quality in Poland is deteriorating even though the government has spent billions of złoty on replacing coal‑fired boilers and insulating homes. Recent data from the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection show rising levels of PM10 and benzo(a)pyrene, with the number of smog‑affected days increasing in most of the towns that previously led the “smog record” list.

The agency calls the situation a “red card” for the current administration, noting that towns such as Nowa Ruda, Żywiec, Krotoszyn and Zdzieszowice now record the highest exceedances, including a three‑month smog period in Nowa Ruda (91 days). PAS also highlights a sharp drop in applications for the Clean Air (Czyste Powietrze) programme, which funds boiler replacement and home upgrades, suggesting that the programme’s reforms are lagging behind the worsening pollution trends.