The giant metallurgy plant “Ferronikeli” that produces the ferroalloy ferronickel, is considered to be one of the main air polluters in Drenas.
Apart from this plant, in the territory of this municipality, there are also six quarries that pollute the air, together with the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEC) that greatly contributes to air pollution in this municipality, especially when it’s windy.
Other than the emission measurements from the Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA), “Ferronikeli” has hired a foreign company, “Tehnolab”, licensed and accredited in Scopje, to monitor their emissions.
Bekim Dobra, spokesman for the municipality of Drenas, says that “Ferronikeli” plant officials report the data on the level of air pollution in this municipality to Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA).
In this agency’s report on the state of the environment in the zone in which NewCoFeronikel operates, for the year 2015, it is said that in the process of melting ferronickel ore in the furnaces, a lot of dust and gases (CO, CO2, SO2, NOx) that are harmful for the environment and human health are released.
The citizens of Drenas, have showed their dissatisfaction several times by protesting against the pollution of the air. This pressure has obliged “Ferronikel” authorities to place filters to stop dangerous gases that are released during the ore melting process, from polluting the air
Gani Qorri who lives in the Qorri neighborhood, located near “Ferrinikeli” plant, says that this light pollution is easily spotted when it snows, because a thin layer of dust released from the plant lines the snow. There is also a bad smell when you inhale.
Data from 2015 shows that the PM10 particles have surpassed the safe level of exposure 50µg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter), the levels of exposure have been the highest during January 55.25 µg/m3, March 60.38 µg/m3 , April 62.40 µg/m3 and May 55.71 µg/m3
During 2016, in January, February and March the PM10 particles have surpassed the safe level of exposure that is 50µg/m3. During January the highest daily average was 61µg/ m3, whereas during February the average was 79µg/m3. In March the highest daily average went up to 77µg/m3, whereas the average for December was 55.6µg/m3, these data show how much this plant pollutes the air.
Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t have any updated data on the level of air pollution in the recent months in Drenas.
Letafete Latifi, head of Kosovo’s Hydro meteorological Institute says that their station in Drenas is having its “regular yearly service” and they can’t access the data.
“Ferronikeli” official have responded to the citizen’s protests by claiming that the plant has installed cleaning systems in each chimney that filter the dust and gases that are released by the plant. According to them “Ferronikeli” doesn’t pollute the river “Drenica” either, “because the water circulates in a closed circuit inside the plant, it is cooled and used for cooling in the foundry”.
Arif Krasniqi, leader of Kosovo’s Ecological Party, emphasizes that it is not surprising that Drenas is involved in this pollution.
Krasniqi says: “Kosovo’s Energy Corporation is not many kilometers away in airway distance, since winds blow, Drenas is often attacked by this pollution”
He adds that he has written a letter of protest to the people responsible, saying that if they don’t take measures to improve this state urgently, they will radicalize the protests.
Last year the Ministry of Environment and Spacial Planning has fined “Ferronikeli” 5.000 euros for not having the filters installed.
Puhiza Bekolli
