Unfavorable weather conditions in the winter months and a Saharan dust event over Easter have worsened air quality in Saxony in 2024. According to the Saxon State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG), particulate matter concentrations in particular increased last year.
In comparison to 2023, the number of days on which particulate matter PM10 was exceeded increased from seven to 72 in 2024. Due to the Sahara dust, the PM10 daily limit value of 50 micrograms per cubic meter was exceeded across the board at all Saxon measuring stations on the Saturday before Easter and Easter Sunday.
In contrast, the measured nitrogen dioxide concentration (NO2) continued to decrease at the measuring stations affected by heavy traffic. According to the report, vehicle renewal and the increase in electric vehicles were increasingly noticeable here. At rural measuring stations, concentrations rose again slightly in some cases. This could also be related to the weather conditions.
According to the state office, ozone concentrations were moderate in 2024. The legal ozone target value for the protection of health was therefore met. The values for other air pollutants such as benzene and sulphur dioxide were unremarkable and well below the legal requirements.
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