The environmental problems are phenomena determined by essential modifications that are produced in nature under man’s influence. Initially the environmental problems have a local origin, yet they affect large areas and finally become regional or global problems.We experience a development crisis with a natural-human character, which gets worse the balance of compatibility between the natural environment and that created by man, with consequences which become irreversible in time and space, implying an increasingly large number of people being able to endanger life evolution at world level where: „Poverty is an enemy of the environment as big as the richness” (V. Tufescu, M. Tufescu, 1981).   

ROŞU, Elisabeta

English

Annals of Spiru Haret University

 127ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN TWO DEVELOPMENT REGIONS: REGION CENTER AND REGION BUCHAREST-ILFOV  Elisabeta ROŞU Institute of Agricultural Economics  Romanian Academy betty_rosu@yahoo.com    Abstract The environmental problems are phenomena determined by essential modifications that are produced in nature under man’s influence. Initially the environmental problems have a local origin, yet they affect large areas and finally become regional or global problems.  We experience a development crisis with a natural-human character, which gets worse the balance of compatibility between the natural environment and that created by man, with consequences which become irreversible in time and space, implying an increasingly large number of people being able to endanger life evolution at world level where: „Poverty is an enemy of the environment as big as the richness” (V. Tufescu, M. Tufescu, 1981).   Key-words: environmental problems, regional analysis   JEL Classification: Q15, Q20  Introduction The environment represents the total range of natural conditions and elements: water, air, soil and subsoil, all the atmosphere strata, the totality of organic and inorganic matter, as well as the living beings, the material systems in action comprising all the previously mentioned elements, also including material and spiritual values.  Environment degradation represents one of the great problems that mankind is facing. This process presents a multitude of regional and national aspects, depending on the economic and social development level, as the environment can be positively and/or negatively affected both by excessive development and by underdevelopment.   Material and method  The paper intends to put together the main environmental problems from Region 7 Center and Region 8 Bucharest Ilfov.  The study was based on methods specific to selective research: identification of problem under research, delimitation of research framework, information collection, data processing, analysis and interpretation and drawing up the conclusions.   128 The information sources that have been used are the official data and the data obtained from field surveys conducted under a research project.   Results and discussions  Environmental problems, Region 7 Center The region center consists of the following counties: Alba, Braşov, Covasna, Harghita, Mureş and Sibiu. Due to its physical-geographic conditions, a wide range of soils exists in Region 7 Center, this diversity resulting from the complex action exercised by the lithological conditions, relief units, hydrological factors, as well as the topoclimatic factors.  In the period 2007-2009, a slight diminution of agricultural land area can be noticed in Region 7 Center. Throughout the investigated period, it can be noticed that the agricultural activities are carried out on two main land operation types, arable, on one hand, and pastures and hayfields, on the other hand.   Table 1  Agricultural land distribution by categories of use in Region 7 Center,  in the period 2007-2009  Crt.  No. Category of use  Area (thousand ha)   2007 2008 2009 1. Arable  762.813 764.479 762.344 2.  Pastures  663.772 662.763 662.225 3.  Natural pastures and hayfields  477.021 475.399 475.577 4.  Vineyards 9.119 9.250 8.793 5.  Orchards  13.415 13.244 13.685 Agricultural total  1,926.140 1,925.135 1,922.624 Source: Reports on environmental factor situation in Region 7 Center, RAEP Sibiu, 2007, 2008 and 2009  The main constraints to soil quality in region 7 Center are determined by: acidity, fine texture, moisture excess, non-uniformity of land, erosion, landslides, slope, etc. For example, in Covasna county, the main constraint is represented by the sanitary protection areas that are found around the drinking water supply wells of towns, as well as of the other localities. In Harghita county, the most important constraints of soil quality are the following: moisture excess, depth of phreatic water layer, land slope, edaphic volume, taking into consideration the fact that from the relief point of view, the county belongs to the hilly and mountain area. For Mureş county, there are constraints related to soil supply in humus, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. In Sibiu county, the main constraints to soil quality are determined by: acidity, moisture excess, depth erosion, landslides and moisture excess, anthropic degradation and pollution of soils.    129 The industrial activities and agriculture are the main air pollution factors in the Region 7 Center.   In Braşov county there are many economic operators who carry out their activity in different industrial branches and the critical areas with regard to air pollution are the following:  – the central area of the county, consisting of Braşov municipality and the neighbouring areas: Săcele, Cristian, Codlea;  – the central-northern area of the county, with the localities Hoghiz, Racoş, Rupea;   – the central-western area of the county, with the localities Făgăraş and Victoria.  In Harghita county there are critical areas under air pollution: – industrial activity areas: in Miercurea Ciuc locality (due to the Mining Exploitation SC Exploatarea Minieră Harghita SA Miercurea Ciuc), in Gheorghieni (due to the working point Voşlobeni);  – refuse dumps remained after the mining and geological exploitations from SC Bălan SA (Sântimbru), Jolotca, Borsec, Tulgheş, Heveder, Belcina, Cianod.  An important air pollution source in Mureş county is represented by SC Azomureş SA where the maximum accepted limit of ammonia is often exceeded. In Sibiu county, due to historical pollution (over 60 years) and to recent pollution, the Copşa Mică area is highly affected by air pollution, being characterized by inadequate quality of ambiental air. SC SOMETRA SA is the main polluter in Copşa Mică, this being a company with non-ferrous metallurgy profile. The negative impact of sulphur dioxide emissions and dust with heavy metals is quite significant among the environmental factors in the area.  The surface waters were monitored in Region 7 Center, on a total length of 2,891.2 km river sections. The surface waters in Region 7 Center mainly fall into quality classes I and II, and as a result these water categories can be used as drinking water sources.   Table 2  Length of river sections in Region 7 Center, by quality classes,  in the period 2007-2009   Year Total km Class I Class II Class III Class IV Class V 2007 2,981.2 1,090 1,487.23 247.79 122 34 2008 2,891.2 1,046 1,550.5 258.7 76 50 2009 2,891.2 1,039 1,486.2 260 60 46 Source: Reports on environment situation in Region 7 Center, RAEP Sibiu, 2007, 2008 and 2009.  In the period 2007-2009, for the ground waters, 159 drillings in Region 7 Center were monitored by chemical, biologic and bacteriologic tests. In Harghita county (12 drillings) were within the accepted quality limits. Yet critical zones were found  as regards ground water pollution; thus, in Alba county (18 drillings)  130 the accepted limits were exceeded in the following indicators: conductivity, dissolved manganese, sulphates, chlorides, nitrates, nickel, dissolved cadmium, total hardness, organic substances; in Braşov county (28 drillings) were under the legal limits, except for a few indicators: ammonium, total iron, total hardness, lead, conductivity; in Covasna county (26 drillings) the limits were exceeded in the indicators: manganese, iron, ammonium, lead, conductivity; in Mureş county (59 drillings) it was found out that ground waters cannot be included in the drinking water category; in Sibiu county (16 drillings) it was found that the ground waters have an inadequate quality in the rural areas, as the liquid waste reach the ground layers directly through the non-impermeable latrines or the street drainage ditches, as well as indirectly, from the manure storage places and from the domestic waste storage places.   In the investigated period, the situation of forests was generally good, the main pressures exercised upon forest being of anthropic nature, namely: forest operations without respecting the legal provisions in the field, fires, illegal cuttings of timber, constructions built on forestland or in adjacent areas, illegal storage of domestic or industrial waste in the neighbouring areas of localities, uncontrolled tourism activities.   Table 3  Forestland evolution in the counties from Region 7 Center,  in the period 2007-2009 thousand ha Nr. crt. Judeţul  2007 2008 2009 1.  Alba  227.885 206.800 206.800 2.  Braşov  174.565 174.195 204.323 3.  Covasna  165.161 165.161 165.161 4.  Harghita  237.681 225.024 225.024 5.  Mureş  208.711 208.079 208.779 6.  Sibiu  204.352 203.220 201.057 Centru Region 7 Center total 1,218.355 1,182.479 1,211.144 Source: own calculations and data from the Reports on environmental factors in Region 7 Center, RAEP Sibiu, years 2007, 2008 and 2009.  Environmental problems in Region 8 Bucharest-Ilfov Region 8 Bucharest-Ilfov consists of Bucharest Municipality, Romania’s capital and the county Ilfov.  In Region 8 Bucharest-Ilfov, the most common types of soils are the clay soils, followed by Mollisols and younger soils.       131Table 4  Agricultural land distribution by categories of use, in Region 8 Bucharest-Ilfov, in the period 2007-2009  Crt. Category of use Area – ha no.  2007 2008 2009 1.  Arable 107452 105868 102012 2.  Pastures 2342 2382 1973 3.  Natural pastures and hayfields  83 58 58 4.  Vineyards 1571 1445 1412 5.  Orchards 1184 977 847 Agricultural total  112632 110730 106302 Source: Reports on environmental factors in Region 8 Bucharest-Ilfov, RAEP Bucharest-Ilfov, years 2007, 2008 and 2009.  In the period 2007-2009, the agricultural land area decreased by 5.6%, by categories of use the largest decline being found in the areas under natural pastures and hayfields, followed by the land areas under orchards. In the Region 8 Bucharest-Ilfov, the main type of agricultural operation is arable land farming. In the Region Bucharest-Ilfov, the soil pollution sources are the following: dry and wet deposits from the atmosphere, inadequate storage of domestic and industrial wastes and residues on areas that are not adequately equipped, discharge of sludge, slimes and waste water on agricultural land areas or on other areas; excessive use of chemicals on agricultural land and crops; soil degradation by physical factors, the action of which is favoured by wrong practices (deforestation, absence of consolidation and defense works, etc.); lead pollution specific for the areas with heavy road traffic, mainly in the city of Bucharest. On the area of Bucharest municipality, the soils experienced strong anthropic modifications, the natural soil types being currently found only on limited areas in certain parks and on peripheral areas. The first stage of strong anthropic modifications was the result of all kind of constructions, by which practically other types of soils were created. The second stage was initiated by the massive industrialization and road traffic intensification.  The prevailing soils in the Ilfov county generally present a relatively low vulnerability to many polluting agents due to the good buffering capacity. Soil destruction processes by excavation works were found in the Argeş canal area and by the storage of garbage or of other construction materials in different areas. On smaller areas soils were polluted with waste water, sludge from the water treatment stations and organic residues from the large livestock farms from Periş, Jilava, Buftea.       132 Air pollution in Region 8 Bucharest-Ilfov has a specific character, in the first place due to the emission conditions, to the existence of multiple sources respectively, different heights of pollution sources, as well as a non-uniform distribution of these sources, scattered throughout the region territory. The air pollution sources can be grouped into several large categories: – industrial objectives – there is a wide range of substances released from the technological processes into the atmosphere, namely organic and inorganic powders that also include metals, gases and vapours, organic solvents, soot; – road traffic: the air pollution caused by vehicles is a mixture of several hundreds of different compounds. The air pollution levels caused by road traffic are quite variable in time and space. The concentrations of air pollutants are higher in the areas with traffic roads bordered by high buildings under compact form, which prevent the dispersion of pollutants; – construction sites and concrete mixers: the share of construction activities increased very much, the construction sites and concrete mixers remaining potential air pollution sources, mainly with dust; – thermal power stations: the thermal power stations represent main air pollution sources, by their operation on liquid fuels with a high content of sulphur, releasing significant amounts of SO2, NOx, CO, CO2, dust, smoke, light ashes into the atmosphere.  Under the National Water Integrated Monitoring System, S.G.A. Ilfov- Bucharest, water quality in the Argeş, Ialomiţa and Mostiştea hydrographic basins is monitored. The situation of inner rivers was monitored, in the period 2007-2009, in 12 surveillance sections in the Argeş hydrographic basin and in 2 surveillance sections in the hydrographic Ialomiţa basin.   Table 5 Quality classes of waters from Argeş hydrographic basin,  in the period 2007-2009  Nr. crt. River/sections  2007 2008 2009 1 Argeş – 3 sections II III II 2 Dâmboviţa – 5 sections  IV V IV 3 Colentina – 1 section  III III III 4 Ilfov – 3 sections  III IV II Source: Reports on environmental factors in Region 8 Bucharest-Ilfov, RAEP Bucharest-Ilfov, years 2007, 2008 and 2009.  In Ialomiţa hydrographic basin, the two sections under monitoring fell into quality class III in the period 2007-2009. Only waters that fall into the quality categories I and II can be used as drinking water sources.  In the period 2007-2009, 11 drillings were monitored, representative for the national observation network, and no exceeding of the threshold values were found.    133 In the period 2007-2009, the forestland of Region 8 Bucharest-Ilfov continuously decreased, the main reason being the intensification of construction activities in the peripheral areas of Bucharest municipality and in Ilfov county in this period.      Table 6 Forestland area in Region 8 Bucharest, Ilfov,  in the period 2007-2009   2007 2008 2009 Forestland – ha, out of which: 20711 20413 20323 Ilfov county  19928 19663 19653 Bucharest municipality  783 750 670 Source: Reports on environmental factors in Region 8 Bucharest-Ilfov, RAEP Bucharest-Ilfov, years 2007, 2008 and 2009.  In the investigated period, forests were subject to increasing pressures from the population’s side. Illegal cuttings, uncertain and continuously changing legal framework brought about severe losses to forests. Forest administration under sylvicultural regime contributes to forestland sustainable management.  Conclusions  The old specific occupations in the Region 7 Center, such as mining, animal husbandry, timber exploitation and quarrying, which have been carried out in this zone for centuries, resulted in an intense exploitation of natural resources and implicitly led to environment degradation phenomena. In time, the industrial activities added to these traditional activities, which amplified the pollution phenomena, by generating secondary processes, which by accumulation endanger people’s comfort and health.  In Region 8 Bucharest-Ilfov, industry, transport, agriculture and the expansion of the construction sector are the main environment pollution sources.    REFERENCES Bran, Florina (1997),  Efectele relaţiei om-mediu în pragul anului 2000, Editura ASE, Bucureşti. Otiman, P.I. (coord.) (2006), Agricultura şi spaţiul rural românesc din perspectiva dezvoltării durabile, Editura CIDE, Bucureşti. Tufescu, V., Tufescu, M. (1981), Ecologia şi activitatea umană, Editura Albatros, Bucureşti.  *** Regional Agency for Environment Protection Sibiu, Report on the environmental factors in Region 7 Center, years 2007, 2008 and 2009. *** Regional Agency for Environment Protection Bucharest, Report on the environmental factors in Region 8 Bucharest Ilfov, years 2007, 2008 and 2009. *** (2006), Planul Naţional de Dezvoltare Rurală 2007-2013, MAPDR, Bucureşti.  134  

Environmental problems in two development regions: region center and region Bucharest-Ilfov

The environmental problems are phenomena determined by essential modifications that are produced in nature under man’s influence. Initially the environmental problems have a local origin, yet they affect large areas and finally become regional or global problems.

We experience a development crisis with a natural-human character, which gets worse the balance of compatibility between the natural environment and that created by man, with consequences which become irreversible in time and space, implying an increasingly large number of people being able to endanger life evolution at world level where: „Poverty is an enemy of the environment as big as the richness” (V. Tufescu, M. Tufescu, 1981)

Environmental problems in two development regions: region center and region Bucharest-Ilfov

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