Residents in Šančiai, a neighborhood in Kaunas, Lithuania, have reported a troubling phenomenon: their yards are not covered in the usual white snow, but rather black snow that appears to be contaminated. This has prompted numerous reports, video evidence, and photographs being shared with local news outlets, illustrating the stark difference in the snow’s color. While some residents suspect that the issue arises from the coal dust due to nearby operations, the situation has raised serious environmental health concerns among the community.

A resident shared her fears in a letter to the press, highlighting how coal dust is not only ruining the aesthetics of their homes but also poses a risk to health as the particles settle in yards, on windowsills, and even enter homes through opened windows. Another resident has reached out to various authorities, including the National Public Health Surveillance Laboratory and the Kaunas City Municipality, in hopes that they could remedy this pollution issue. However, despite these efforts, residents feel their concerns have been inadequately addressed.

Romutė Smolskienė, head of the Public Health Safety Control Department, urged affected residents to continue reporting pollution to the appropriate agencies, reaffirming that they are diligently reviewing the complaints regarding environmental pollution linked to the operations of UAB “Dameta.” Nonetheless, residents continue to express frustration over the perceived inaction to resolve the ongoing issue of air pollution and its visible consequences, including the black snow that poses health risks and detracts from their quality of life.