The Ukrainian newspaper Vesti published a story this week claiming that the recent smog enveloping Ukraine’s capital Kyiv was by caused by the city’s power plants using low grade coal.
The newspaper avows that they published this story, Kyiv authorities admitted that low grade coal used by power plants did cause the smog and subsequently began addressing the problem seriously.
Vesti also claims that the region where Kyiv’s power plant #6 is located has a particularly acute smog problem. The city government, according to Vesti, explains that this is caused by the absence of wind , rather than being blown away, heavy soot is settling on the streets and buildings.
“Kyiv authorities officially admitted that there is two to three times more sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere than normal and this is caused by boiler emission” Vesti declared.
Kyiv power plant #6 does not operate with coal, it uses natural gas. The only Kyiv power station using coal is located in the left bank Darnytsia region.
StopFake asked the Kyiv State Administration to clarify the situation.
According to city council deputy advisor Yulia Hramotna, no publication has approached the city administration with questions about low grade coal causing of the recent smog and the exhaust generated by the city’s only coal burning plant in Darnytsia is within normal range.
Vesti’s claim that the Kyiv administration has admitted that low grade coal caused the smog is inaccurate. Kyiv authorities released a statement explaining that the most likely cause of the fog enveloping Kyiv is the recent drop in temperature and an increase of humidity which together with emissions and exhaust has caused the smoggy haze.
According to the World Health Organization, 92% of the world breathes polluted air. Kyiv, like all cities in the former Soviet Union still has many industrial plants and factories operating within the city confines with poor or no environmental regulations in place.
