Newsroom
Thick black smoke rising from the Teknecik Power Plant in Kyrenia has drawn renewed concern from the Turkish Cypriot Medical Association, which has warned that ongoing emissions pose serious risks to public health and the environment.
In a recent statement, the association said the power station has been operating for years without adequate filtration systems or maintenance, while continuing to use low-grade fuel. These practices, it said, are exposing residents to harmful airborne pollutants.
The medical group emphasized that the dark smoke reportedly contains substances linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart attacks, strokes, and cancer. Potential impacts on children, such as developmental delays and low birth weights, were also noted.
“The release of these pollutants into the atmosphere without proper controls amounts to an ongoing public health hazard,” the association stated, highlighting the particular vulnerability of children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing conditions.
Despite repeated warnings in recent years, the association said, no transition has been made to cleaner energy sources at the facility. It called for an immediate overhaul of the Teknecik plant to prevent further environmental and health damage.
With information from Cyprus Mirror.
