Rapport

European cities air quality ranking: a new methodology

Soares, Joana; Ortiz, Alberto González; Horálek, Jan; Schneider, Philipp; Schreiberova, Marketa

The EEA has introduced the European City Air Quality Viewer, a tool to assess and compare air quality in European cities. However, this method provides an incomplete picture of air quality as it relies solely on PM2.5 data from monitoring stations, excluding cities lacking monitoring stations and other relevant pollutants such as NO2 and O3. A promising alternative to the current methodology is proposed to reduce these limitations, offering a comprehensive approach to assessing and comparing health risks linked to exposure to multiple pollutants in urban settings. Leveraging continuous air quality maps and population-weighted concentrations enhances coverage and consistency in risk estimation across cities. Additionally, it allows for ranking based on multiple pollutants, unlike the current method, which focuses solely on PM2.5 levels. This approach integrates mortality risk assessments associated with PM2.5, NO2, and O3 exposure, aligning with the Environmental Burden of Disease assessments published by the ETC HE, together with the EEA.

ETC/HE

Måling av flyktige organiske forbindelser hos Reproduksjonsmedisinsk avdeling (OUS), Ullevål Stadion

Håland, Alexander

NILU

Data Report 2022. Particulate matter, carbonaceous and inorganic compounds

Hjellbrekke, Anne-Gunn

This report presents an overview of annual statistical summaries and methods for sampling and analysis of particulate matter, carbonaceous and inorganic compounds measured under the EMEP monitoring programme in 2022.

NILU

Monitoring of the atmospheric ozone layer and natural ultraviolet radiation. Annual Report 2023

Svendby, Tove Marit; Fjæraa, Ann Mari; Schulze, Dorothea; Bäcklund, Are; Johnsen, Bjørn

This report summarizes the results from the Norwegian monitoring programme on stratospheric ozone and UV radiation measurements. The ozone layer has been measured at three locations since 1979: In Oslo/Kjeller, Tromsø/Andøya and Ny-Ålesund. The UV measurements started in 1995. The results show that there was a significant decrease in stratospheric ozone above Norway between 1979 and 1997. After that, the ozone layer stabilized at a level ~2% below pre-1980 level. The year 2023 was characterized by low ozone values in winter, high spring values, and annual average total ozone values slightly below the long-term mean.

NILU

Monitoring of environmental contaminants in freshwater food webs (MILFERSK), 2023

Økelsrud, Asle; Grung, Merete; Bæk, Kine; Rundberget, Thomas; Øxnevad, Sigurd; Enge, Ellen Katrin; Hanssen, Linda; Johansen, Ingar

Norsk institutt for vannforskning

Assessment of transboundary pollution with heavy metals and POPs

Travnikov, Oleg; Gačnik, Jan; Ali, Saeed Waqar; Kosjek, Tina; Ogrinc, Nives; Horvat, Milena; Poupa, Stephan; Bernhard, Ullrich; Wankmüller, Robert; Schindlbacher, Sabine; Redeyoff, Oscar; Aas, Wenche; Halvorsen, Helene Lunder; Pfaffhuber, Katrine Aspmo

Meteorological Synthesizing Centre – East (MSC-E)

Utslipp og spredning av støv fra LKAB i Narvik

Weydahl, Torleif; Grythe, Henrik; Vallejo, Islen; Markelj, Miha

Denne rapporten presenterer spredningsberegninger som estimerer LKAB sitt bidrag til forurensningssituasjonen i Narvik. Spredningsberegningene er basert på et anslag for det samlede støvutslippet fra både punktkilder og diffuse kilder via målt støvavsetning rundt anlegget. Spredningsberegningene som er utført med partikkelmodellen Flexpart-WRF, viser ingen overskridelse av grenseverdiene for PM10 eller PM2,5 utenfor LKABs industriområde.

NILU

Monitoring of long-range transported air pollutants in Norway. Annual report 2023.

Aas, Wenche; Eckhardt, Sabine; Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Hjellbrekke, Anne-Gunn; Platt, Stephen Matthew; Solberg, Sverre; Yttri, Karl Espen

This report presents results from the monitoring of atmospheric composition and deposition of air pollution in 2023, and focuses on main components in air and precipitation, particulate and gaseous phase of inorganic constituents, particulate carbonaceous matter, ground level ozone and particulate matter. The level of pollution in 2023 was generally low though a few episodes occurred. There was an increase in the PM levels in southern Norway during June, caused by a mixture of sources, including emissions from wildfires in Canada

NILU

Måling av flyktige organiske forbindelser hos Fjord Base AS

Håland, Alexander

NILU

Målinger av SO2 i omgivelsene til Elkem Carbon. Januar 2023 – desember 2023.

Hak, Claudia; Stensrød, Anna Maria Røyset; Andresen, Erik

På oppdrag fra Elkem Carbon AS har NILU utført målinger av SO2 i omgivelsene til Elkem Carbon i Vågsbygd (Kristiansand kommune). Målingene ble utført med SO2-monitor i boligområdet på Fiskåtangen (Konsul Wilds vei). I tillegg har Elkem Carbon AS valgt å måle med passive SO2-prøvetakere ved 3 steder rundt bedriften. Rapporten dekker målinger i perioden 1. januar – 31. desember 2023. Norske grenseverdier for luftkvalitet (SO2) ble overholdt ved Konsul Wilds vei for alle midlingsperioder (årsmiddel, vintermiddel, døgnmiddel og timemiddel). En døgnmiddelverdi var over nedre vurderingsterskel (50 µg/m3). Passive luftprøver viste at de mest belastede stedene i måleperioden var Konsul Wilds vei nordøst og Fiskåveien rett sør for bedriften.

NILU

Towards a circular phosphorus economy in Norway - Strategies for integrating agriculture and aquaculture at multiple scales

Müller, Daniel Beat; Las Heras Hernandez, Miguel; Pandit, Avijit Vinayak; Øgaard, Anne Falk; Reitan, Kjell Inge

Phosphorus is a building block for all life and therefore plays an essential role in food production. Currently, large amounts of phosphorus enter the Norwegian food system from abroad in the form of mineral fertilizer, feedstuff, food, as well as micro-ingredients for animal feed, mainly in salmon farming. However, only a small fraction of this phosphorus ends up as food for humans, while the largest part accumulates in soil and water systems. This inefficiency entails two challenges:

1. Phosphorus supply is critical. Phosphate rock, the primary source of phosphorus for fertilizer and micro-ingredient production, is a limited resource that is highly concentrated in a few countries. Over 80% of global phosphate rock reserves are found in only 5 countries, and ~70% are located in Morocco and Morocco-occupied Western Sahara. The high concentration renders many countries vulnerable to geopolitical and economic instabilities and threatens food safety. The EU has therefore included phosphate rock on its list of Critical Raw Materials.
2. The accumulation of phosphorus in water systems can lead to eutrophication and dead zones, threatening fish stocks and other aquatic life. The high phosphorus concentration in soils due to overfertilization over long periods of time increases the danger of losses to water systems by runoff, further exacerbating the eutrophication risk.

A more circular use of phosphorus could simultaneously reduce supply and pollution risks. This is particularly relevant in Norway, where the government has an ambition to increase salmon and trout production from currently 1,5 to 5 million tons by 2050.

Achieving a circular phosphorus economy is a complex task: (i) The land- and the sea-based food systems are increasingly interlinked, for example through agricultural production of fish feed or the application of fish sludge on agricultural land. (ii) The Norwegian phosphorus cycle is increasingly interlinked with that of other countries as trade flows along the entire food supply chain are growing. (iii) Phosphorus fertilizers, both primary and recycled, are often contaminated with heavy metals such as cadmium, uranium, and zinc, which tend to accumulate in soils. Cleaning the phosphorus cycle is therefore vital for soil fertility and human health.

This report is based on the MIND-P project, which studied the Norwegian phosphorus cycle for both agriculture and aquaculture at a farm-by-farm basis and explored options for increasing circularity. The project identified farm-level and structural barriers to managing phosphorus resources more effectively.

We propose four fundamental strategies to overcome these barriers:
1. Develop and maintain a national nutrient accounting.
2. Minimize phosphorus losses and accumulations at farm level.
3. Establish infrastructures for capturing, processing, trade, and use of manure and fish sludge to produce high-quality recycled fertilizers that are tailored to the needs of the users in Norway and abroad.
4. Adopt a regulatory framework to promote a market for recycled fertilizer.
The strategies proposed here were developed with the support of an Advisory Panel consisting of representatives from government, industry, industry associations, and NGOs in an online and two physical workshops conducted in 2022.

NTNU Open

Air quality in Sandefjord, Norway. November 2021 – August 2023.

Salamalikis, Vasileios; Castell, Nuria

This report examines the air quality patterns in terms of particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) in Sandefjord, Norway. PM2.5 was monitored through five low-cost sensors in hourly resolution from November 2021 to August 2023. The sensors’ reliability is high, with consistent PM2.5 measurements and similar variation over time. Occasional extreme PM2.5 was attributed to local contributions with higher values observed during cold months, or specific long-range transport events. Overall, Sandefjord maintained good air quality for most of the measurement period with daily PM2.5 levels below the air quality criteria. Residential heating activities (wood burning) is the most significant local source, being more pronounced during winter.

NILU