Air quality in Lüneburg: Fine dust levels exceed limit values!

The air quality values ​​in Lüneburg will be measured on January 7, 2025. In Zeppelinstrasse, a measuring station shows the concentration of fine dust particles up to PM10 per cubic meter of air. The limit value for PM10 is 50 micrograms per cubic meter, which may be exceeded 35 times per year. Air quality is measured using three values: particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone.

The limit values ​​are defined as follows: With values ​​above 200 μg/m³ for nitrogen dioxide, 100 μg/m³ for fine dust and 240 μg/m³ for ozone, the air quality is classified as “very poor”. Values ​​between 101-200 μg/m³ for nitrogen dioxide, 51-100 μg/m³ for particulate matter and 181-240 μg/m³ for ozone are considered “bad”. A “moderate” quality is present if the values ​​are between 41-100 μg/m³ for nitrogen dioxide, 35-50 μg/m³ for particulate matter and 121-180 μg/m³ for ozone.

Air quality measurement and recommendations

The measurement is carried out either as an hourly average (nitrogen dioxide, ozone) or as an hourly daily moving average (fine dust). Every year there are around 240,000 premature deaths in the EU due to fine dust pollution. When air quality is poor, it is recommended that sensitive people avoid physical exertion outdoors, especially when the air is very poor and poor. If the quality is “moderate”, short-term health effects are unlikely, but sensitive people could still be affected. With “good” or “very good” no health disadvantages are to be expected.

New Year's Eve fireworks contribute to particulate matter pollution, even if the amount is not significant compared to year-round pollution. About 1,500 tons of fine dust are released on New Year's Eve, which corresponds to 75% of the annual amount. Fine dust from fireworks consists of tiny, invisible particles that can be harmful to health.

In addition, fine dust measurements carried out in Germany for PM10 since 2000 and for PM2.5 since 2008 show that the annual average PM10 values ​​are now between 15 and 20 µg/m³. These values ​​have fallen from 50 µg/m³ since the 1990s. The measurement network density is particularly high in metropolitan areas due to many emitters such as traffic and industry.

Weather-related fluctuations influence PM10 concentrations, which can increase particularly in dry winters or hot summers. Since 2012, the annual limit value of 40 µg/m³ has not been exceeded in Germany. In a year like 2006, however, there were significant exceedances due to intense episodes of particulate matter. In 2023, the limit value was met at all measuring stations.

The difference between primary and secondary particulate matter is also important, with primary particulate matter coming directly from sources such as traffic or industry, while secondary particulate matter is created by chemical reactions in the atmosphere. Long-term exposure to particulate matter can cause serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease and lung cancer.