Worrying pollution reports from Albania

Photochemical smog of up to 100m has been reported in Albania, as a lack of regulation has left the country in environmental turmoil.

A recent report, conducted by SETimes, has gathered inside knowledge on the acute pollution problems in the South European country. Sazab Guri, head of the Ecological European Alliance, described Albania as being one of the most polluted countries in Europe. 

With pollution from "total particles" called LNPs, Tirana has an average of 323 micro grams per cubic meter of air, slightly more than four times the EU rate. Guri cites key infrastructure factors as the main reason for this pollution, as well as a lack of concern from the Albanian authorities. 

"The average speed of our vehicles is 7-12km per hour, while in Vienna or every other European city, the average is 50-60km per hour. Although we have five times less vehicles than Vienna, they pollute 50 times more," Guri told SETimes.

The cars are generally well aged in Albania which results to more emissions being produced. Construction is also a key contributor, as well as the practice of burning garbage; both indicators of insufficient regulation. Eco Movement leader Xhemal Mato told SETimes the central problem is that the authorities don't take air pollution monitoring figures seriously.

"The alarming figures do not bother the Albanian authorities at all. Another problem is that we monitor only the air, after the European Council [posed it as an] obligation, but not the land or water. So we do not know what their condition is."