Research on air quality in public schools and kindergartens carried out in five municipalities (Gostivar, Struga, Kumanovo, Strumica and Kavadarci) showed that the problem is similar to the one with ambient air because the permitted limit of suspended solid particles has been exceeded, but other pollutants, such as gases and bioaerosols were within acceptable limits. Unlike external pollution, there are more possibilities for dealing with the problem of internal pollution.

The research is part of the project to deal with air pollution in the mentioned five municipalities, implemented by UNDP and with financial support from Sweden. The results were presented by the professor from the University of Shtip, Dejan Mirakovski, who told the media that in a period of almost a year, according to the methodology recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), they managed to analyze the air quality in the rooms where children and students stay.

He pointed out that in general, there is no direct connection between the outside and the inside air and that in winter, when the concentrations are extremely high outside, there is no penetration into the inside air because today there is better insulation and the buildings are energy efficient. That said, during the winter there are lower indoor concentrations, but during the summer the concentrations of harmful particles are higher indoors than in the outdoor air.

- On average, we exceed WHO recommendations almost twice, so it is necessary to take measures that would make the conditions in schools and kindergartens healthy and safe for children and teachers. In general, we breathe polluted air, both inside and outside, with the indoor air probably being a bigger problem for us because we, especially in the winter period, stay inside for a longer period of time than outside, Mirakovski said.

However, unlike the problem of polluted air outside, there are many solutions for indoor air – from modern ventilation systems to simple stand-alone air filtration systems, which, he said, can reduce 80-90 percent of air pollution concentrations. suspended particles.

Good and quick results, according to Mirakovski, can be achieved even with the simplest hygiene measures – mopping more often, using shoes or clothes only for the indoor space, and not staying with the outer clothes.

When asked in which of the five municipalities covered by the project the pollution was greatest in schools and kindergartens, he answered that the findings were similar in all five.

- There is no difference between the cold and warm season, as is the ambient air, and the values ​​are similar, ranging from 42 or 43 to somewhere around 80 micrograms per cubic meter, average concentrations and PM 2,5. The maximum is 25 for eight hours of indoor air, the ambient and indoor values ​​are different, Mirakovski added.

According to Swedish Ambassador Ami Larsson Jain, and UNDP Permanent Representative Armen Grigoryan, the findings of the survey will help the five cities in dealing with the problem.

- We believe that every step on this path builds the moving momentum towards achieving changes. We are grateful to the municipalities of Kavadarci, Strumica, Gostivar, Kumanovo and Struga for co-financing these planned investments with a total amount of almost one million euros, said the ambassador of Sweden.

Grigoryan emphasized that air pollution affects health and productivity at the workplace.

- So far, our initiative took place in six municipalities where the quality of indoor and outdoor air was examined and we are open to cooperation with other municipalities and with other state authorities at the central level, added the UNDP representative.

The Minister of Health, Arben Taravari, in relation to dealing with pollution in the country, indicated that the Government has passed a project of the Ministry, which should be operational by the end of the next year.
- It is about 10 hospitals where the standard heating will be replaced with fuel oil and oil and heating methods that do not pollute the air will be included. The government participates, but we also have donations from non-governmental organizations. I hope that this project will help a lot, Taravari said.

He pointed out that the polluted air is especially harmful to the vulnerable categories of people, and he also said that we have enough facilities in the country to cover patients (both children and adults) with lung diseases.

According to the Minister of Education and Science, Vesna Janevska, air quality is extremely important, especially in schools because, she said, it affects the psychophysical development of students, their ability to think, concentrate, be creative, but it also affects and on teachers.

- The state must work to improve living and working conditions in the entire environment, but of course also intensively in schools. In that direction, we are working on the energy efficiency of schools to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide. Of course, we are also working on changing the heating systems, but what is also very significant, we will also work on education for the preservation of the environment, said Janevska.

Gjoko Velkovski, Deputy Minister for Social Policy, Demography and Youth, said that this is an alarming problem, as evidenced by the fact of a large number of hospitalized children with lung and respiratory diseases.

- We all need to gather strength together and make a concrete plan and start the fight against polluted air and how to reduce that impact, first of all, among our youngest, said Velkovski.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth provides block subsidies for kindergartens at the local level and with those funds, he said, they can purchase air purifiers.

- As a Ministry, in the new budget, we will look at the possibility of directly helping to solve this issue, at least at a minimal or local level, which is not a solution, but maybe some prevention in this situation, Velkovski added.