Rapport

Air quality around ports

Pozzoli, Luca; Gressent, Alicia; Soares, Joana; Colette, Augustin; Monge, Silvia; Ortiz, Alberto González

Monitoring air quality in ports and nearby cities is crucial to understanding the role of emissions from shipping and other port activities. This report analyzes air quality in 23 European ports, revealing limited observations in and around port areas. Only 5 of the 23 ports had at least one air quality sampling point for NO2 and PM10 inside the port area. Concentrations in nearby cities can be up to double (NO2) and 74% higher (PM10) when the wind comes from the port. EEA air quality maps showed higher annual mean NO2 concentrations in port areas compared to surrounding regions, with some ports exceeding the 2030 limit value of 20 µg/m³. Annual mean PM10 concentrations were also higher in port areas, with nine ports exceeding the new limit value. The limited number of sampling points makes it challenging to assess trends in NO2 and PM10 concentrations. International shipping emissions significantly contribute to NO2 levels in port cities, as shown by pollution episodes in Antwerpen and Barcelona.

ETC/HE

Monitoring of microplastics in the Norwegian environment (MIKRONOR) 2023

Alling, Vanja Karin Gunilla; Lund, Espen; Lusher, Amy Lorraine; Knight, Jemmima; Hjelset, Sverre; Singdahl-Larsen, Cecilie; Martínez Francés, Elena; Rødland, Elisabeth Strandbråten; Pakhomova, Svetlana; Snekkevik, Vilde Kloster; Consolaro, Chiara; van Bavel, Bert; Schmidt, Natascha; Herzke, Dorte

The MIKRONOR monitoring program aims to establish baseline levels of microplastics in the Norwegian environment and to identify potential sources and sinks. This third MIKRONOR report focuses mainly on results from air samples, including data on tyre wear particles (TWP), as well as river and fjord surface water samples, and their correlation to rainfall and river discharge levels. Additionally, it presents data from sand samples taken from an OSPAR beach in the outer Oslofjord. The results for 2023 provide evidence of the omnipresence of microplastics in the environment. However, levels were higher near cities and populated areas, with decreasing levels further from human activities. This trend was observed in both air and surface water samples. Sand samples from the OSPAR beach in the Oslofjord showed levels of microplastics comparable to, or slightly higher than studied eabches at Svalbard. Since no other beach studies have been conducted in the MIKRONOR program, it is difficult to determine typical microplastic levels on a beach in the outer Oslofjord. Determined levels of microplastics in the beach samples were comparable to levels in marine bottom sediment at remote areas along the coast and lower than levels in sediments from the Oslofjord. Main conclusions of this report highlight the need for further research into the processes that control the levels and variations of microplastics and TWPs, such as weather conditions, river discharge, and air mass movement. Sampling of different matrices should, where possible, be conducted using similar strategies and equipment to improve the comparability of results. Additionally, the high spatial and temporal variability between samples must be considered to determine the appropriate number of analyses needed to obtain reliable results.

Norsk institutt for vannforskning og Miljødirektoratet

Trenger Norge et målrettet samfunnsoppdrag for sirkulær økonomi? Utrednings- og medvirkningsfase for et mulig samfunnsoppdrag for sirkulær økonomi

Möller, Charlotta; Guerreiro, Cristina; Tarrasón, Leonor

NILU har i 2024 bistått Klima- og miljødepartementet (KLD) med en utrednings- og medvirkningsprosess for å se på muligheten for etablering av et samfunnsoppdrag for sirkulær økonomi. Dette er et oppdrag under KLDs rammeavtale for klima- og miljøkunnskap. I regjeringens «Handlingsplan for en sirkulær økonomi» er et av handlingspunktene å utrede et samfunnsoppdrag for sirkulær økonomi. Målet med dette oppdraget var å fasilitere en prosess for å identifisere mulige overordnede mål og delmål og etablere rammen for et mulig nasjonalt samfunnsoppdrag. Aktivitetene i denne fasen inkluderte en serie med koordinerte samskapingsmøter for å mobilisere og engasjere relevante samfunnsaktører og komme fram til en felles forståelse av et mulig målrettet samfunnsoppdrag. Prosessen og resultatene er oppsummert i denne rapporten.

NILU

Spredningsberegninger av luftforurensning fra Sunndal Metallverk

Weydahl, Torleif

Rapporten presenterer spredningsberegninger for utslipp til luft fra Hydro Sunndal sitt smelteverk i Sunndalsøra for nåsituasjonen med utslippsmengder som i gjeldende utslippstillatelse, og en situasjon med ny utvidet anodefabrikk. Det er beregnet bakkekonsentrasjoner av SO2, støv, fluorider, PAH og metallkomponenter. Det er også gjort beregninger for utslipp i perioden 23. mai til 15. august 2019 hvor NILU utførte målinger av disse komponentene. Basert på beregningene er det vurdert «lav til moderat» risiko for overskridelse av forskriftens målsettingsverdi for nikkel i området nær anlegget. Ny anodefabrikk har ingen vesentlig betydning for konsentrasjonsnivåer utenfor metallverket som er relevant i forhold til gjeldende grenseverdier eller luftkvalitetskriterier.

NILU

Assessing the environmental burden of disease related to air pollution in Europe in 2022

Soares, Joana; Plass, Dietrich; Kienzler, Sarah; Ortiz, Alberto González; Gsella, Artur; Horálek, Jan

This report evaluates the health burden due to long-term exposure to PM2.5, NO2, and O3 across Europe in 2022. By analysing all-cause and cause-specific mortality and morbidity, it estimates disease burden using four indicators: Attributable Deaths (AD), Years of Life Lost, Years Lived with Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY). However, the main results only consider the impact of exposure to levels of pollutants exceeding the current WHO air quality guidelines. The results indicate that PM2.5 contributes the most significant health impact (linked to six diseases), resulting in over 2.7 million DALY across 40 countries, and resulting in 269 000 AD, with mortality rates peaking in Eastern Europe. The report introduces methodological advancements, assessing the long-term impacts of O3 for the first time. Findings underscore the critical need for targeted air quality interventions, as pollution continues to drive significant health losses across the continent, particularly among vulnerable populations.

ETC/HE

Monitoring of environmental contaminants in air and precipitation. Annual report 2023

Halvorsen, Helene Lunder; Pfaffhuber, Katrine Aspmo; Nipen, Maja; Bohlin-Nizzetto, Pernilla; Berglen, Tore Flatlandsmo; Nikiforov, Vladimir; Hartz, William Frederik

This report presents air monitoring data from 2023 for the Norwegian monitoring programme "Atmospheric contaminants". The results covers 16 groups comprising of 260 organic compounds (regulated and non-regulated) as well as 14 heavy metals, and a selection of organic chemicals of concern.

NILU

VOC measurements 2022

Solberg, Sverre; Claude, Anja; Reimann, Stefan

This report documents the EMEP VOC monitoring carried out in 2022. The levels of the measured in 2022 are presented as well as the 2022-status and history of the VOC programme. The geographical pattern of the species in Europe is discussed as well as the long-term trend during the last 20 years.

NILU

Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. Interim Annual Assessment Report for 2020. European air quality in 2020

Tarrasón, Leonor; Hamer, Paul David; Guerreiro, Cristina; Meleux, Frédérik; Colette, Augustin; Rouïl, Laurence

Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service

Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. Interim Annual Assessment Report on European Air Quality in 2022

Hamer, Paul David; Fjæraa, Ann Mari; Tarrasón, Leonor; Soares, Joana; Meleux, Frédérik; Colette, Augustin; Ung, Anthony; Raux, Blandine; Kuenen, Jeroen

Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service

Climate health risks to children and adolescents: exposures, policy and practice interventions

Graber, Juliette; Widmer, Kaja; Walker, Julia; Vounatsou, Penelope; Pozzoli, Luca

ETC/HE

Impacts of Short-lived Climate Forcers on Arctic Climate, Air Quality, and Human Health

Kupiainen, Kaarle; Eckhardt, Sabine; Flanner, Mark G. (eds.)

Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)

Status report of air quality in Europe for year 2022, using validated data

Targa, Jaume; Colina, María; Banyuls, Lorena; Ortiz, Alberto González; Soares, Joana

ETC/HE