A thick blanket of fog descended upon Sarajevo on Thursday, bringing the Bosnian capital to a halt.
Flights were cancelled, children were advised to stay indoors, and outdoor construction work was prohibited as the city grappled with severely reduced visibility.
Sarajevo routinely faces significant pollution during the winter months, largely attributed to domestic heating and vehicle emissions.
The city's unique geographical position within a valley, surrounded by mountains, means that polluted air can become trapped for days if there is no wind to disperse it.
Several flights departing from Sarajevo airport were grounded, and morning rush hour traffic moved at a crawl. Residents were observed wearing face masks, seeking protection from the hazardous air quality.
The Swiss air quality technology company IQAir on Thursday ranked air quality in Sarajevo as “unhealthy." The city often tops the list of places with poor air quality globally.
Authorities on Wednesday banned trucks of over 3.5 tons in the Sarajevo city center along with cars and trucks that do not meet European Union environmental standards. Any construction work outside has been banned as well as public gatherings.
Experts have warned that exposure to PM2.5 – fine inhalable particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller – has led to a rise in respiratory infections as well as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and premature deaths in Sarajevo, other major cities in Bosnia and elsewhere in the Western Balkans.
Many Balkan countries have a poor record in environment protection despite promises to improve the situation as they seek to move closer to EU membership. Balkan rivers are often clogged with garbage and recycling is almost non-existent, while many cities have seen rampant construction diminishing green areas.
The air in Belgrade, the capital of neighboring Serbia, also was deemed “unhealthy for sensitive groups” on Thursday.
