The most troublesome air pollutant emissions that occur in rural areas are associated with the operation of domestic furnaces (mainly during the heating season) and the processes of open burning of plant residues (mainly outside the heating season). The paper presents an example of emission inventory for this type of sources in two submontane villages of Małopolska Voivodeship (Poland) based on the results of the questionnaire survey and an attempt to assess the impact on air quality of these sources, including the potential uncontrolled burning of waste.

The conducted questionnaire survey showed the use to home heating mainly solid fuels (first of all coal) and the occurrence of large-scale of waste co-combustion in domestic furnaces and open burning of plant residues. On this basis it was estimated air pollutant emissions and was carried out atmospheric dispersion modeling. The studies and calculations confirmed the possibility of the occurrence of high concentrations of pollutants in the air in rural areas.

English title: Uncontrolled burning of waste and plant residues in rural areas – an example of inventory of emission sources and assessment of the impact on air quality.