Assessment of heating boiler replacement effectiveness in reducing PM10 and PM2.5 emissions: A case study of the Pszczyna Commune, Silesia, Poland

The Pszczyna commune in southern Poland has long faced poor air quality, especially during the heating season. This study assesses the effectiveness of a local policy to reduce PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations by replacing old solid-fuel boilers with low- or zero-emission systems. Using data on air quality from monitoring stations for the two years 2020 and 2023 as well as meteorological records, and administrative reports on the scale and scope of boiler replacements, the analysis applies statistical comparisons, meteorological normalization, and regression analysis to isolate commune policy effects from weather variability. Results show a significant reduction in PM levels, particularly in winter, with PM10 decreasing by over 30% and PM2.5 by up to about 40%. These findings confirm the effectiveness of targeted residential heating interventions and highlight how local actions, supported by regional and national funding, can yield measurable environmental and health benefits within a short period. Continued monitoring and public engagement are essential to sustaining air quality improvements.