The new device of the laboratory, according to information from the public procurement, will measure presence of nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and dioxide and oxygen in the waste gasses from stationary sources, reports META.

The value of the procurement is 6.7 million denars, while the companies are to deliver the instruments within six months. During this period, the new instruments will be installed and tested at several measuring stations where needed. The stations for monitoring the air quality in Veles, Miladinovci, Kocani and Strumica will receive new instruments. In the same period, the portable device is also to be installed in the Central Laboratory.

With this procurement, the Ministry has started the certification process of the Central Laboratory for measuring air emissions. This institution has a certificate for system for quality according to the ISO 17025 standard for an accredited laboratory and last year completed the accreditation process for six methods for water quality and one method for noise.

The Ministry announced two months ago that the laboratory will be certified for more than one method of measuring air pollution. This opportunity for the state laboratory is one of the most frequently repeated demands of environmental organizations, which have been for a long time appealing that the fight against polluted air in many cities across the country is possible only with regular control of emissions.

Environmentalists have requested for the accreditation process of the Central laboratory for measuring air quality to speed up, in order to assist the work of the State Environmental Inspectorate in documenting cases of air pollution.

The laboratory, although existing for more than four decades, is not fully in function of the work of the Inspectorate, due to the reason that its measurements of various parameters of pollution cannot be considered solid evidence, especially in court proceedings against polluters.

Translation: N. Cvetkovska