The media can no longer imagine life without particulate matter pollution, but what is it and how dangerous is it for us? The debate flares up again on New Year’s Eve: does this mean the end of rockets and firecrackers?
Particulate matter
In contrast, there is the dust fraction E-dust (formerly: total dust), whose particles can be inhaled and can accumulate in the upper respiratory tract.
In general, the term dust describes the smallest solid particles that are finely dispersed in the ambient air. The (now obsolete) term fine dust refers to the alveolar dust of the A-dust fraction. These are dust particles whose diameter is so small that they are able to penetrate into the alveoli (pulmonary alveoli).
Dangers from fine dust pollution
The hazard from A-dust (fine dust) lies in the small particle size of less than 10µm (PM10: Particulate Matter). This allows them to penetrate the airways into the alveoli (air sacs in the lungs). There they cause irritation and inflammation and disrupt gas exchange. This can result in chest pain, shortness of breath and, with prolonged exposure, permanent impairment of lung function. Depending on the type of substance, it can also lead to cancer formation. Protective measures against A-dust are therefore advisable. If there is contact at the workplace, the statutory provisions on occupational health and safety must be complied with. This begins with the risk assessment and continues with the OEL to the formulated safety concept.
Particulate matter pollution on New Year’s Eve
In the last few years New Year’s Eve, discussions on the subject of fireworks and particulate matter have increased. At the moment, there are frequent calls for a ban. The reason given for this ban is the enormous fine dust pollution caused by rockets and firecrackers.
But how high is particulate matter pollution actually on New Year’s Eve? From a subjective point of view, one might immediately agree with this theory, as the increasing pollution is visible in the fog banks on New Year’s Eve. But is this impression correct?
Every year, around 4200 tons of particulate matter (PM10) are released by fireworks, primarily on New Year’s Eve. This figure corresponds to around 2% of the total amount of particulate matter released in Germany.
In addition, measurements have shown that particulate matter levels are higher in the first few days of the New Year than they are the rest of the year.
Some of the measured values are around 1000µg/m³ of air; by comparison, the average PM10 value for German cities in 2018 was around 18µm/m³.
How quickly this particulate matter pollution dissipates is heavily dependent on the weather conditions. For example, strong winds favor the dispersion of particulate matter. The EU Commission has set a PM10 limit value of 50µg/m³, which must not be exceeded more than 35 times a year. This means that one (or even two, depending on weather conditions) permissible exceedance on the first day of the year would already be documented.
Discussion about the ban on New Year’s Eve fireworks
As a result of the current environmental debate, the first fireworks bans have been issued for this year. There is a complete ban in parts of Munich’s old town, and in Cologne and Düsseldorf so-called protection zones have been set up in which no pyrotechnics may be set off. The main reason for this is not only to protect the environment, but also to protect police officers and spectators. There is no uniform regulation, but the enormously high level of fine dust pollution on New Year’s Eve remains undisputed.
Sources:
[1]: Source Contribution image: © Zbynek Burival / 123rf.com
[2]: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/luft/luftschadstoffe/feinstaub
[3]: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/service/uba-fragen/was-ist-feinstaub
[4]: https://www.bund.net/themen/mobilitaet/schadstoffe/feinstaub/
[5]: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/dicke-luft-jahreswechsel
[6]: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/479/publikationen/hgp_wenn_die_luft_zum_schneiden_ist_2019.pdf
[7]: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/luft/luftschadstoffe/feinstaub/feinstaub-durch-silvesterfeuerwerk
[8]: https://www.aerztezeitung.de/Panorama/Feinstaub-Feuerwerk-an-Silvester-405319.html
[9]: https://www.quarks.de/umwelt/feinstaub-belastung-durch-feuerwerk/
[10]: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wissen/silvester-feuerwerk-feinstaub-1.473830