The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a sewage treatment plant on the occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms among the local residents. A survey was conducted on two populations: one from the vicinity of the sewage treatment plant (the exposed group: 586 people), and the other from outside the impact area of the plant (the control group: 502 people). The research area was divided into distance zones from the plant (A, B, C). The questionnaire included questions about the occurrence of gastrointestinal disorders. Compared with the control group, the local residents reported more often: nausea, vomiting, and frequent diarrhea. Occurrences of gastrointestinal disorders were associated with air pollution by pathogenic staphylococci (OR~7) and odours (OR = 7.34; Cl 3.43-15.72) emitted by the plant, and also living in zone A vs. zone C (OR = 3.47; CI 1.00-12.07), use of a gas cooker in houses (OR = 2.21; CI 1.03-4.70), and the age of the respondents (0.98; CI 0.96-1.00). The study showed that as distance from the plant increased, the incidence of reported gastrointestinal disorders declined. Living in the vicinity of a sewage treatment plant favours the occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms among the local residents.

More than half of the world's population currently resides in urban areas. Therefore, cities must be part of the solution if the increasingly urbanized world is to successfully address environmental challenges such as climate change. Air pollution poses a significant health risk to Europeans. Due to urbanization, population growth, traffic congestion, industrial activities, energy generation, and inadequate urban planning connected to environmental solutions modern cities confront a range of complex challenges concerning air quality. Achieving the zero-pollution vision for 2050 demands further endeavors to diminish air pollution to levels deemed safe for health. This article examines the multifaceted obstacles that modern cities encounter, with a particular emphasis on the critical issue of air quality. The study aims to analyze low-emission solutions aimed at improving the state of air quality in selected European cities. The study assessed changes in the concentrations of NO2, O3, PM10, PM2.5 and benzo(a)pyrene in chosen European cities between 2013–2022 offering a comparative analysis of air quality challenges and solutions across selected cities. The value of the analysis lies in its ability to draw conclusions from current European urban trends related to air quality improvement and to develop a comprehensive set of recommendations tailored for policymakers.

The upcoming trends related to climate change are increasing the level of interest of social groups in solutions for the implementation and the realization of activities that will ensure the change of these trends and can reduce the impact on the environment, including the health of the community exposed to these impacts. The implementation of solutions aimed at improving the quality of the environment requires taking into account not only the environmental aspects but also the economic aspect. Taking into account the analysis of solutions changing the current state of climate change, the article focuses on the analysis of the potential economic effect caused by the implementation of nature-based solutions (NBSs) in terms of reducing the operating costs related to water retention for local social groups. The analysis is based on a case study, one of the research projects studying nature-based solutions, created as part of the Grow Green project (H2020) in Wrocław in 2017–2022. The results of the analysis are an observed potential positive change in economic effects, i.e., approximately 85.90% of the operating costs related to water retention have been reduced for local social groups by NBSs.

The paper presents a comprehensive approach to rural development management, encompassing technology, rural community engagement, and strategic planning. It identifies the most desirable local needs, such as the utilisation of smart technologies to improve infrastructure, the implementation of community-driven initiatives, and the importance of flexible strategies. Ultimately, the conducted research contributes to the discourse on effective practices in rural development management, offering insights that can inform policies and initiatives aimed at creating smarter and more sustainable villages. The issue is particularly important in the context of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the years 2021–2027 which provides a supportive framework for rural communities and funding opportunities for the preparation and implementation of smart village (SV) strategies.

In the present study, the authors assessed the odour quality of the air in the vicinity of a landfill site using a case study of a waste management plant that processes non-hazardous and inert waste as an example. An analysis of the impact of the facility under study on the odour quality of the air was performed based on a mathematical modelling system used to, among other things, assess the impact of investments in air quality both in Poland and worldwide. The most important element of the system is the puff dispersion model CALPUFF. In conclusion, the analysis of the plant’s odour impact clearly indicates a significant impact on the air quality in the studied area. The range of the impact may even reach up to 1.5 km; in the nearest locality, the odour perceptibility threshold may be exceeded for more than 3% of the hours in a year. However, taking into account the fact that the landfill is located within an agricultural area, the incidental odour impact in this area may also be associated with periods of intensive fertilization and a roadside ditch collecting municipal sewage from roadside households.

This article is an analysis of the impact of implementing technical and technological solutions in the form of a deodorization system, which was carried out on the basis of a case study in the years 2015 and 2019 of an existing waste management plant named located in the region of Lower Silesia. The method for determining the impact was based on an analytical method for estimating changes in plant operation parameters in relation to the emission of odor compounds, determined at selected reference points, during a period of normal operation before and directly after the implementation of the deodorization system. The purpose of this work is the evaluation of the impact of the deodorization system on the parameters determining the functioning of the plant—a mechanical-biological waste treatment facility in order to determine sustainability factors and their relative changes.