Too much fine dust in the air

Leipzig again exceeds EU limits

26/12/2014

As the Central German Broadcasting Corporation (MDR) reports, Leipzig has once again clearly exceeded the limits for particulate matter pollution this year. According to the Federal Environment Agency, measurements in the district of Lindenau have given mean values ​​over 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air since the beginning of January on 43 days. Current regulations of the European Union (EU), however, allow only 35 days a year with increased values.

Sixth highest particulate matter pollution in the entire federal territory
High particulate matter pollution in Leipzig: According to the Federal Environment Agency, averages of over 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air were measured on 43 days over the course of this year at Lützner Straße in the district of Lindenau - most recently on 21 December. This reports currently the Central German Broadcasting Corporation (MDR). But according to current EU regulations, only 35 days a year are allowed with increased loads. Accordingly, the large urban district in Saxony with more than 550,000 inhabitants after Stuttgart, Berlin and Frankfurt / Oder has the sixth highest particulate matter pollution in the entire federal territory.

Introduction of the environmental zone since March 2011
Due to the high values, the European Commission had already sent a letter of formal notice to Germany at the end of November, in which legal action had been threatened, according to MDR Sachsen. The city had already tried by the establishment of an environmental zone since March 1, 2011, to minimize the pollution in the air. By various conditions, such as A diesel soot filter requirement for vehicles, according to a study in some areas have already shown initial improvements. According to a study by the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research and the Saxon Institute for Environment, Agriculture and Geology in March of this year showed that the pollution with soot in downtown Leipzig since the introduction of the environmental zone had fallen by about a third, the MDR continues , This would also apply to other parts of the city, whereas the dust particles could not be significantly improved.

High particulate matter pollution also due to old stoves
However, according to the Saxon State Ministry for Environment and Agriculture, not only motor vehicle traffic is responsible for the high fine dust concentration in Saxon cities such as Leipzig. Instead, the numerous tile and stoves would contribute to the increased burden. Accordingly it is „it is essential that emissions are also reduced rapidly“, what that means from the beginning of 2015 „Many old wood or coal fired boilers and tiled and wood stoves may not be operated“, so the message of the Ministry of State. Affected by this edition are mainly old link boilers from the GDR era, as these would no longer be on the current state of the art after more than 25 years of operation. (No)

Picture: Joerg Trampert