Recent fires in Cyprus attracted the attention of specialists to the long -term consequences of environmental pollution.
Professor of the Department of Environmental Protection of the Athenian Technical University and a professor of ecology from the Technical University of Cyprus, Konstantinos Macris, emphasized that the impact of pollutants such as dioxins and heavy metals may last months after the fire. These substances, falling into the atmosphere, pose a serious threat to human health, affecting the respiratory and circulatory systems, as well as the kidneys.
Macris noted that in order to assess the scale of exposure, it is necessary to carry out spatial and recycling measurements of the environment and biomonitoring of the population. These measures should become part of the emergency management plan, which should be ready for implementation in any fires. In addition, special attention should be paid to protective measures when cleaning houses from ash - this is important to prevent inhalation of dangerous particles.
The professor also indicated the need for medical examinations for firefighters, rescuers and volunteers who could be exposed to high temperatures and toxic substances. He warned that even if pollutant particles disappear from the atmosphere, they can settle in soils and waters, creating long -term ecological threats.
If the fire began on a garbage dump, the situation may aggravate due to the combustion of plastics and other materials releasing hazardous chemical compounds. This emphasizes the importance of an integrated approach to evaluating and eliminating the consequences of fires, including both short -term and long -term measures to restore the environment.
Thus, despite the completion of the fire extinguishing, its invisible consequences can still influence the health of the population and the state of the environment, requiring constant monitoring and taking appropriate measures.
Source: Alphanews
