Sneezing, itching and a runny nose: ragweed pollen far above the threshold

Ragweed pollen concentrations have risen far above the legal threshold in most Serbian cities, bringing itching, runny noses and frequent sneezing for people who are allergic.

The latest available measurements are published by Serbia’s Environmental Protection Agency. Tomica Mišljenović, an assistant professor at the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Biology, said the agency’s data generally indicate whether levels are high or low and show their trend, but that exact concentrations are harder for the public to find.

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They are generally published in machine-readable format, so you need a programmer to turn the data into something citizens can easily understand.

The legal threshold is 30 pollen grains per cubic meter of air. Sensitive people can experience allergic reactions at only five to 10 grains, Mišljenović said. In cities across Serbia, current levels have exceeded 100 and 200 grains per cubic meter, depending on wind and rainfall. Forecasts are worse, with concentrations expected to pass 500 in the next few days. Last year’s highest recorded level exceeded 2,000 grains per cubic meter.

Mišljenović said the ragweed problem cannot be solved in as few as five seasons and requires coordinated plans and action by the responsible authorities. Belgrade has an action plan running through 2029 that calls for mapping ragweed locations and densities, identifying hotspots, monitoring them and removing the plants. He said the mapping has never been completed. Specialists who prepared the plan prioritize mowing in the central urban area because it reduces the pollen each plant can produce, while chemical treatment continues to receive priority in practice.

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In the coming days, we expect these concentrations to exceed 500.