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TEE: No Chemical Pollutants in the Atmosphere Due to War

Published March 18, 2026, 12:12
TEE: No Chemical Pollutants in the Atmosphere Due to War

The Labour Inspection Department announced that the probability of Cyprus's atmosphere being affected by chemical pollutants due to hostilities in the region is negligible. According to the Head of the Air Quality Division, Chrysanthos Savvidis, scientific data and analyses have not detected concentrations of substances related to the use of chemical weapons in previous cases of hostilities. The Department collects dust samples and sends them for analysis to the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, where about 40 chemicals are examined. Even if traces of such substances are detected, their levels are too low to affect the atmosphere. Mr. Savvidis explained that these chemicals have a short lifespan in the atmosphere and cannot travel long distances, especially from regions such as Iran. For there to be an impact, hostilities near desert areas and a dust episode moving towards Cyprus would have to occur simultaneously. Currently, there is no dust in the atmosphere and no impact from such an episode has been recorded.