Key findings Biomonitoring Kaunas region, 2021-2022:
All over the world, there is growing public awareness and concern over the potentially toxic effects of persistent organic pollutants on human health and the environment. In particular, people living near waste incinerators need to be reassured about their health risks, (short- and long-term exposure to incineration emissions), the safety of such combustion facilities, and compliance with regulations – not only under normal conditions, but also in “other than normal operating conditions” (O OC), such as shut-downs, start-ups, and failures.
The newly built Kaunas WtE (waste) incinerator, UA Kauno Cogeneration Power Plant, has been in operation since November 2020. he first round of a biomonitoring research on biomarkers of backyard chicken eggs, pine needles and mosses in the region around the incinerator has taken place.
The region of Kaunas shows an environment under threat by contamination of substances of very high concern in eggs of backyard chicken, pine needles, and mosses. his biomonitoring gives a warning signal for the presence of toxic substances such as dioxins (PCDD/F), dioxin-like PC s, PA s and PFAS. More research is needed to find out the contribution of the incinerator. he striking evidence is the absence of transparency toward the people living in the environment of an incinerator.
