About 160,000 cars are annually registered in Moldova. The vehicles in Moldova now total over 770,000 or seven times more than 20 years ago. Ecologists say the rise in the number of cars, especially old ones, is the main source of air pollution, IPN reports.

Gavril Galca, head of the Environment Quality Morning Division of the State Hydrometeorology Service, said the concentrations of gases and pollutants emitted by cars have become more intense. “Moldova was invaded by cars, especially old ones that do not have a modern fuel burning technology,” he stated.

According to the head of the Chisinau Local Organization of the Ecologist Movement of Moldova Vlad Garaba, studies show that the toxic concentrations in the air exceed the admissible norms. “We inhale polluted air almost daily. The people are exposed to risk factors every day,” he said.

In the 1990s, the units of transport came to about 100,000.