Most – in the heart of the Black Triangle.
The ‘Black Triangle’, where the borders of Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic come together, is one of the most heavily polluted areas in Europe. The abundance of lignite, a low quality, soft brown coal with high sulphur content, resulted in the Most Basin being chosen by the Soviet Union to become Czechoslovakia’s industrial centre, and developed into one of the most polluted industrial landscapes on the face of the globe.
During the Communist era, this 12000 sq mile area was plagued by emissions from the regions petrochemical plants and refineries, electrical power plants and district heating systems. 80% of Czechoslovakia’s electricity was produced here, and all of this from brown coal. Contamination of the air, soil and water have damaged the ecological balance and caused numerous human health problems, including respiratory diseases and cancer. Life expectancy in the region is seven years lower than the European average.
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