Farhad Zeynalli

Installations at high risk of carbon leakage receive free allowances from the European Union Emissions Trading System. Free allowances are allocated to prevent energy-intensive factories from relocating outside the EU. However, whether free allocation slows decarbonization remains an open question. In this paper, I test this question directly. The panel was built at the installation-level. The data were obtained from the European Union Transaction Log (EUTL). In total, 112,787 installation-years from 2013 to 2023 were observed. To avoid the mechanical bias in derived variables such as surplus (total free allocations-verified emissions) and generosity ratio (total free allocations/verified emissions), free allocation was scaled by fixed base-year (2013) emissions and then lagged by one year. Log verified emissions was then regressed on the scaled variable and Two-Way Fixed Effects (TWFE) estimator with installation and year fixed effects was used. The estimated effect is very small, close to zero. The coefficient is 0.0006 with a p-value of 0.78. A unit increase in scaled allocation changes emissions by 0.06%, and this is statistically insignificant. This indicates that large free allocations did not slow installation-level decarbonization in Phases III and IV. The result remains true even without winsorization and when an emissions floor is added. It also holds when removing the 2020 pandemic year. Changing the outcome to emissions intensity using a Eurostat production index does not change the findings either. A difference-in-differences (DiD) test around the 2021 allocation cut gives a large negative coefficient. However, that estimate is invalidated by pre-trends. The Callaway & Sant’Anna, 2021 estimator finds no effect when installations losing most of their free allocation are compared with those losing almost none. Splitting that comparison by sector suggests the cut is associated with lower emissions only in the energy-intensive (carbon-leakage) manufacturing sectors. There are no detectable effect elsewhere. This localized pattern is suggestive rather than confirmed.

This study assessed the possible impact of a former ferrochromium plant in Siechnice (Lower Silesia, Poland) on water reservoirs and living organisms. The metal concentrations (Zn, Cu, Pb, Fe, and Cr) in the sediments were determined, along with ecotoxicological studies that were conducted on both the sediments and the surface water of three water bodies that border the slag heap. The samples of the sediments and water were taken at different distances from the landfill area. The studies also covered a human health risk assessment. The highest concentrations of all the studied elements were observed in the sediments taken from the water reservoir closest to the landfill. In the case of the sediments, a 30% death rate for Heterocypris incongruens (Ostracodtoxkit F) was recorded at the same site. Additionally, at this site, the ecotoxicological studies on the surface water revealed the highest mortality for Daphnia magna (Daphtoxkit F magna) and the lowest values of LC50 for algae (Algaltoxkit). The health risk assessment of the sediments was estimated by calculating the noncarcinogenic health risk using the hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI), and the carcinogenic risk was calculated using the excessive risk of cancer development (ECR) measurement. The hazard index (HIing) for Cr exceeded 1 for children, which suggests that possible adverse health effects might occur for humans. The ECR values calculated for Cr and Pb were above the range limit of 10⁻⁶. The value for Cr was the highest for the sediments from the closest water reservoir to the landfill for both children and adults. Studies prove that the water reservoirs located near landfills pose potential ecological risks, and the risk is the highest where the distance is the shortest from the slag heap. In prospective human health risk assessments, the sediments from the closest water body pose a potential carcinogenic health risk to humans, especially to fish consumers, i.e., the residents of neighboring areas who might experience severe health problems from the intake of Cr and Pb through fish consumption. Significant steps should be taken to reduce Cr concentrations in the sediments to minimize the risk of human health adverse effects.

Air pollution connected to smelter activity can significantly deteriorate the quality of soil due to the precipitation of rain or simple deposition of the air particulates into the ground. Hence, in this study, we focused on the analysis of the soil which can inform us about the general state of the environment in the area and the possible health hazard for humans. If the top layer of the soil is in bad condition, it can indicate that air pollution in the area is also not in good condition, and the lives of the inhabitants of these areas can be at serious risk. To comprehensively identify the level of contamination in the soils from the areas of Polish smelters, studies of the concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the soil were conducted. On the basis of the obtained results, health risk assessment was performed to verify the possible influence on human health. The results showed that the non-carcinogenic risk existed only for Oława, while the possibility of the carcinogenic risk occurred in all of the studied places. The outcome is very disturbing and certain steps must be undertaken in order to protect the lives of the inhabitants. Additionally, in order to assess the suitability of soils for the cultivation of edible plants, phytotoxicity tests were conducted. The obtained results revealed that in all the studied areas, a visible inhibition of roots and shoots can be observed. The conducted study indicated the most polluted regions and the possible health hazard, and it can provide the general information about the impact of smelters on the environment.

The studies of the impact of post-metallurgical landfill were conducted in Siechnice near Wrocław, Lower Silesia. The samples of sediments and water were taken at different distances from the slag heap area. We assessed the metal concentrations in the samples, then ecotoxicological tests were conducted as well. Ostracodtoxkit F was performed to measure the toxicity of sediments. Daphtoxkit F magna and Algaltoxkit F tests were performed to evaluate water quality. 30% mortality rate of H. incongruens (Ostracodtoxkit F) was recorded in sediment studies in the closest site to the waste dump. The highest mortality rate of D.magna in 100% dilution after 48 hours was observed in water samples taken from the closest distance to slag heap, and the death rate did not exceed 50%, therefore it was not possible to establish LC50. The concentrations of selected heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Fe, Cr) were determined in sediment samples. It was found that the closest site to the landfill was moderately/heavily polluted with Cr according to LAWA classification. The health risk assessment of the sediments was estimated by calculating non-carcinogenic health risk such as Hazard Quotient (HQ), Hazard Index (HI); and carcinogenic risk - Excessive Risk of Cancer Development (ECR). Hazard Index (HI ing) for Cr was exceeding 1 for children, implying possible adverse health effects might occur. ECR values for Cr and Pb were above the range limit of 10⁻⁶ in all sample points. But the cancer risk was found to be very low.

Methods for using spider webs as passive air samplers have been developed over recent years and reported in more than a dozen articles. In this article, we present the typical procedures followed when using this new tool and critically review its application in air pollution assessment. To understand the state of research and application of spider webs in this field, we describe some advantages and disadvantages of their use in the analyses of air contaminants. The aim is to summarize the current knowledge on this subject, highlight gaps in the present studies, and arouse the interest of scientists on this issue. The increased effort could result in the standardization of the method at the national and international level. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:32–44. © 2022 SETAC