Ústí nad Labem region tops Czech pollution rankings, Arnika says

Industrial facilities in the Ústí nad Labem Region featured most frequently in annual rankings of the Czech Republic’s biggest environmental polluters compiled by environmental group Arnika last year. The Moravian-Silesian and Pardubice regions followed.

Major sources of pollution included power plants, chemical factories and other industrial facilities. Reported emissions of certain pollutants increased compared with the previous year, including so-called forever chemicals, formaldehyde and greenhouse gases, Arnika representatives told reporters on Thursday.

The total reported amount of formaldehyde rose to more than 22.5 tonnes. Long-term exposure to the substance has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers. Kronospan CR in Jihlava accounted for the largest share, reporting approximately seven tons.

Meanwhile, a biological wastewater treatment plant in Rybitví, near Pardubice, discharged almost seven times as much of the so-called forever chemicals known as PFAS into water last year compared with the previous year.

Arnika compiled the rankings using data from the Integrated Pollution Register.