Air quality in Göttingen: Fine dust and ozone in focus!

Air quality in Göttingen: Fine dust and ozone in focus!

Bürgerstraße, 37073 Göttingen, Deutschland - In Göttingen, air quality is carefully examined every day. At the measuring station in Bürgerstrasse, on June 30, 2025, there is a comprehensive evaluation of the current fine dust (PM10), nitrogen dioxide and ozone values. The ambitious limit values ​​for PM10 are 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, whereby the permissible exceeding is limited to a maximum of 35 days per year. According to the [Göttinger Tageblatt] (https://www.goettinger-tageblatt.de/lokales/Goettingen-ist--t-t-aktaet-aktuell-staub-ozon-and- more- and more-dating-30-06-2025-Szemzyosj3pizm45m3fgijv2y.html) Simply classified in the categories "very bad", "bad", "moderate", "good" and "very good" - whereby the values ​​for nitrogen dioxide, fine dust and ozone are taken into account.

The interest in this data is not only locally, but also noticeable at the national level. In Germany, the Federal Government is carefully dealing with the current requirements and standards: In 2023, the Federal Environment Agency published new air quality data that show that there is a huge level of health -damaging air pollution from fine dust and nitrogen dioxide. Almost 99 percent of all measuring stations exceed the WHO recommendations for fine dust, which are 5 micrograms per cubic meter. This trend is also particularly clear in cities such as Munich and Essen, where the limit values ​​in this country are literally flooded German environmental aid reports.

health effects and trends

The health consequences of air pollution are enormous. The recommendations of the Federal Environment Office are clear: With “very bad” values, sensitive people should avoid physical exertion outdoors; Strenuous activities should also be avoided in “bad” values. This is intended to help minimize the risk of acute health impairments. The cornerstone for these health risks lies not least in the general fine dust pollution, which has decreased since the 1990s, but still remains constant in many metropolitan areas Federal Environmental Agency.

The annual means for PM10 have decreased since 2000 and are now between 15 and 20 µg/m³. Nevertheless, fine dust pollution in Germany remains an urgent problem. The legal regulations stipulate that the daily average of 50 µg/m³ may not be exceeded more than 35 days a year, but in reality, urban areas are repeatedly exceeded.

fine dust and its sources

The causes of this air pollution are diverse. Traffic, industry and heating are relevant sources of humanity for fine dust. The Federal Environment Agency also reports that secondary fine dusts can also arise from gaseous pollutants such as ammonia or sulfur dioxide. In this context, fireworks in particular cause significant fine dust emissions on New Year's Eve, around 2050 tons annually. There are 1500 tons of the New Year's night alone. Although this is rather low compared to the average annual burden, these air pollutants still ensure a temporary deterioration in air quality in many cities [Göttinger Tageblatt] (https://www.goettinger-teglatt.de/lokales/goettingen-ist-die-fleuftqualitaet-aktuell-staub-ozon- and- more-daten-vom-30-2025-Szemzyosj3pizm45m3fgijv2y.html).

All in all, the topic of air quality remains a central challenge for our health, and not just in Göttingen. Even if the values ​​are often lower in rural areas, we all have to work together on solutions to improve the air quality.