Choking smog lands Sarajevo at top of Swiss index of most polluted cities for 2nd straight day

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — The Bosnian capital of Sarajevo has been intermittently engulfed in a toxic haze since the start of December, with air quality so bad it was placed first on a list of the world’s most polluted cities for a second straight day. The Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, which compiles a real-time list, on Wednesday put Sarajevo’s air quality index at 301, which is in a “very unhealthy” category. High levels of air pollution in winter have historically been a problem for Sarajevo. But the situation has further deteriorated, with due in part to the use of old and highly polluting vehicles and the increased use of coal for heating.