They are sounding the alarm about Polish health resorts. These results will worry spa guests
Spas and sanatoriums are associated with healthy recreation that is supposed to heal both our physical and mental health. It turns out that not everywhere is safe.
“Are these still health resorts or are they already poisonous?” – this is the question asked by reporters from the program “Poland and the World” on TVN24. The Supreme Audit Office has checked what kind of air is being breathed in places that should theoretically be good for our health. It turns out that it is not good. Spa guests – including seniors with lung diseases – should be careful.
The air in Polish health resorts
NIK took into account 12 selected health resorts. The list included: Inowrocław, Ciechocinek, Busko-Zdrój, Kraków, Rabka-Zdrój, Szczwnica, Goczałkowice-Zdrój, Polanica-Zdrój, Kudowa-Zdrój, Szczawno-Zdrój, Ustroń and Jelenia Góra – Cieplice. It turned out that the tested air contained exceeded levels of PM2.5, PM10 or benzopyrene. In some locations, the limit for all substances was exceeded at the same time.
“Unfortunately, this is not optimistic information. The air quality in health resorts does not meet environmental requirements in most periods of the year,” commented Marcin Marjański from NIK in an interview with TVN.
Organizations that have been fighting for years to improve air quality in Poland are not surprised by the results of the inspection. “Polish health resorts are often only in name,” commented a representative of the Smoglab foundation.
The Ministry of Health, in turn, argues that clean air is not the only criterion that makes a place recognized as a health resort. “For now, we consider the situation safe for patients. Even if there are temporary exceedances, it does not take away the value of these places, infrastructure or specific climate,” assured Jakub Gołąb, spokesman for the Ministry of Health.
These cities have been on the blacklist for a long time
The worst situation for years has been in southern Poland. Rabka-Zdrój and Goczałkowice-Zdrój have made it onto the record list. NIK calculations show that PM2.5 dust concentrations are exceeded for seven months of the year. Unfortunately, each of the cities listed also exceeds the safe level of carcinogenic benzopyrene. The range of exceedances is from 240% to 1450%.
The terrible state of air quality in many Polish cities has already been reported, among others, in 2022. At that time, the inglorious list included Nowa Ruda, Rabka-Zdrój, Mosina, Sucha Beskidzka, Żywiec and Tuchów. Currently, there is nothing left to do but look for health resorts with clean air. For years, this has been considered such in the town of Gołdap in Warmia and Mazury. Do you have your favorites?
