Living Environment Quality Determinants, Including PM2.5 and PM10 Dust Pollution in the Context of Spatial Issues—The Case of Radzionków

Investigation of Indoor Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Rural Northeast China: Pollution Characteristics, Source Analysis, and Health Assessment

Due to the low winter temperatures in rural areas of Northeast China, biomass fuels are widely used for heating and cooking, resulting in increased concentrations of PAHs in rural indoor areas during the heating period and threatening human health. Therefore, exploring the pollution characteristics, source localization, and risk assessment of indoor PAHs in rural Northeast China is of great significance for improving rural indoor air quality. In this study, PAHs were collected from a residential building in rural Northeast China for one consecutive year (January 2020–December 2020), and their concentrations were determined to explore the distribution patterns and sources of PAHs to further assess the carcinogenic risk of PAHs to humans. The results of the study showed that the average concentration of indoor PAHs in rural areas during the heating period (93.02 ng/m3) was about 1.81 times higher than that of the non-heating period (51.26 ng/m3). The main sources of PAHs were mixed combustion of biomass and coal, motor vehicle emissions, and domestic waste combustion. The level of indoor PAHs pollution has posed a carcinogenic risk to the health of the rural population in the Northeast.

Selected Determinants of Sustainable Transport in the Context of the Development of a Low-Carbon Economy in Poland

Road transport is one of the key elements of economic development that helps build social and territorial cohesion. The economic development that has taken place in Poland over the last three decades has led to an improvement in road infrastructure throughout the country. Construction of new roads and improvement of existing ones promotes economic development. However, as the number of cars increases, so does the level of air emissions. In reducing pollutant emissions, the analysis of the technological possibilities used and the improvement of their efficiency with the simultaneous minimization of generated pollution is also of particular importance. The purpose of the publication is to present development trends in road transport in Poland and the possibility of reducing emissions in this respect. The method of analysing strategic documents and statistical data was used to achieve this goal. Moreover, the article shows perspectives for reducing the level of emissions from road transport and refers to the assumptions related to the modernization of the transport sector and reducing its share in carbon emissions and its sustainable development in cities.

Modernization of the Public Transport Bus Fleet in the Context of Low-Carbon Development in Poland

The development of urban transport in recent years has become one of the most important issues related to improving the quality of life in Polish cities. Excessive pollution in the form of greenhouse gases and other harmful substances from buses affects people’s health as does the excessive noise. This article analysed the measures being taken to reduce emissions, and the results showed that it is possible to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 28 thousand megagrams (Mg) per annum. Policymakers in Poland should consider limiting electricity generation through coal combustion and recognize, at least temporarily, CNG/LNG-powered buses as low-carbon rolling stock and co-finance their purchase and the necessary infrastructure.

Thermal Modernization Cost and the Potential Ecological Effect—Scenario Analysis for Thermal Modernization in Southern Poland

Air pollution is one of the important environmental problems in Poland. The main cause of its occurrence is emissions associated with individual heating of buildings. The reduction of the primary energy demand in a building is influenced by its proper thermal modernization, including in particular insulating. In view of the above, this article presents the results of studies on the possible environmental benefits of thermal modernization of single-family houses for the area of Southern Poland. The analysis was limited to determining the impact of measures to reduce air pollution emissions by insulating the building envelope of single-family houses. The research was conducted for two voivodeships: Śląskie and Małopolskie. Its aim is to identify the financial costs and achievable ecological effects of the thermal modernization of single-family buildings. The geographical selection of the research area was based on the fact that it covers the most polluted region in Poland. This region is characterized by many features that influence poor air quality. Among these features, the most important are: diversified building structure, a diverse topography, and very high population density. To limit multiple variables, we have selected a scenario method that has already been used in similar research. Four scenarios were established to show the relationship between the value of emission reductions and the level of funding for thermal modernization. The analysis allows a comparison of the effectiveness of individual variants and the transposition of their results into the possibilities of action in the region. This research will help to supplement the knowledge of the impact of insulating building envelopes on reducing pollutant emissions by reducing the energy demand of a building. They also identify a possible link between the level of this reduction and the grant amount for thermal modernization. As a result, it was found that a high share of external funding—stimulating the tendency of the inhabitants of the analyzed voivodeships to effective thermal modernization, and thus reducing the buildings’ energy consumption—has a significant impact on the improvement of air quality.

Green Infrastructure—Countering Ecosystem Fragmentation: Case Study of a Municipality in the Carpathian Foothills

This paper discusses green infrastructure, which can be considered a useful tool in the process of ensuring the sustainable development of rural structures in the polish Carpathian region. It allows for achieving a better quality of the environment of human life and healthy wildlife linkages. The element that supports defining information about the existing state of green infrastructure and its resources is the green infrastructure fragmentation coefficient based on edge effect calculations, which is the relation between the edge of the patch (circumference) to its surface area. With the use of model analysis of green infrastructure, it is possible to implement the provisions of the Carpathian Convention and coordinate planning documents that facilitate the sustainable development of spatial structures. Our study on the state of green infrastructure in rural areas of the Polish Carpathian Mountains is a source of knowledge about the quality of this area, its natural environment and fragmentation. Determining the territory’s green infrastructure fragmentation coefficient provides an opportunity for higher-precision studies and the detection of threats and integration of GI fragments and addressing proper solutions in conflict areas.

Spatial spillover effects of environmental regulations on air pollution: Evidence from urban agglomerations in China

Environmental regulations affects the environmental quality of not only local areas but also surrounding regions. It remains unknown whether the effect of environmental regulations on the surrounding regions is free riding or pollution shelter. Based on the data from 2006 to 2018, the spatial correlation of PM_2.5 in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and Pearl River Delta (PRD) urban agglomerations in China was examined in this study. In addition, the spatial spillover effects of environmental regulation on PM_2.5 concentrations were explored while the socio-economic driving factors of the heterogeneity of pollution spillover were identified via SDM based STIRPAT framework. Results showed that the characteristics of PM_2.5 concentrations spatial correlations varies from one urban agglomeration to another. This study revealed that the air pollution is affected by not only local environmental regulations, but also regulations implemented in surrounding cities. The PM_2.5 concentration of BTH, YRD and PRD increased by 0.76, 0.147 and 0.109 for each unit increase in environmental regulation of surrounding cities, respectively. In fact, cities with loose regulation become the pollution shelters. The spatial spillover effects offset the improvement effects of local environmental regulations on the air quality. Furthermore, the comparison amongst three urban agglomerations showed that the spatial spillover effects of PM_2.5 concentration in BTH and YRD are higher than that of PRD. This is attributed to differences in industrial structure, population density, economic development, FDI and geographical location. Therefore, the spatial spillover effects should be taken into consideration and joint regulation should be strengthened to address air pollution issues in urban aggregations.

Selected Aspects of Combustion Optimization of Coal in Power Plants

Growing ecological standards force the implementation of solutions that will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the atmosphere. This is particularly important in Poland, whose energy system is almost 80% based on coal. In the interest of low carbon development it is worth considering the optimization of existing old coal-based power plants. The main goal of the research was to present the benefits of modernization of existing boiler equipment and to analyze the combustion process of various types of coal sorts that have a significant impact on the optimization of the production processes of energy media. An analysis of the processes occurring in boiler devices during the combustion of fuel was carried out, which had a significant impact on the quality of generated heat and electricity. The conducted research defined technological solutions for boiler structures that have a significant impact on improving the efficiency of the technological process in heating plants and the characteristics of coal as energy fuel. Practical technical and modernization solutions have been proposed that contribute to the optimization of coal combustion processes, resulting in increased energy efficiency of the heating plant.