City Council Members took part in the Silent Action in front of the Lead and Zinc factory due to the increased air pollution in the city. The decision of the protest was taken at the council session today unanimously. After the session the members of all the groups represented at the city council took part in the protest in front of the Lead and Zinc Factory. Chairman of Kardzhahi City Council Seyfi Necib presented the air pollution report of 2009 and the monitoring data of 2009 about the quality of air in Kardzhali to the representative of the company since the director of the company, Slaveya Stoyanova, was not there.
The data in the report shows that in 2009 on the average the sulfur dioxide pollution was 203 times per hour. However only 24 times per year is permitted by the law. Red alarm level for sulfur dioxide pollution is exceeded 117 times. Last year the amount of sulfur dioxide pollution was measured three times – four each – and this amount was higher that the upper limit at each time. And the citizens were warned in accordance with regulations. In 2009 the proportion of lead-acid in the air was measured 175 times and, 78 of these measures exceeded the yearly average level. Cadmium level in the air in 2009 is recorded as 4 times higher that the upper limit. Arsenic level also had an upward trend however it did not exceed the overnight upper level.
There are some reasons that caused this awkward predicament of the Kardzhali Air Quality Report and worsened the air pollution in the city. The leading factor of this situation is being thought as the Kardzhali Lead and Zinc Factory. 2009 Waste Gas Control results show that the emission of lead from producing sulfur dioxide, cadmium and lead is the reason of the high level of pollution in the city.
The Silent Action that was done today will not be the last one. The members of city council will organize a similar protest on the 31st of March. The citizens will also be invited to take part in this protest.