Alarming fine dust levels: Brandenburg is fighting for clean air!

Alarming fine dust levels: Brandenburg is fighting for clean air!

On June 30, 2025, we will see worrying air quality measurements in Brandenburg an der Havel. The current measuring station at the Werner-Seelenbinder sports field shows a fine dust level of 100 µg/m³, which far exceeds the limit for “very bad”. The limit value of 50 µg/m³ may be exceeded a maximum of 35 times a year, but we still see an alarming situation for air quality in the region. Nitrogen dioxide is also at a critical level and should definitely receive more attention. Maz-online reports that The measurement methods here include hourly averages for nitrogen dioxide and ozone as well as moving daily averages for fine dust.

Although exposure to fine dust has decreased in recent years, the health consequences cannot be ignored. According to current estimates, fine dust pollution in the EU leads to around 240,000 premature deaths every year. The health risks are clear: respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases can be exacerbated by such high concentrations of fine dust. The Federal Environment Agency explains, that annual average PM10 levels are now between 15 and 20 µg/m³, which is remarkable considering that in the 1990s they were often around 50 µg/m³.

Problematic air quality in Germany

If you look beyond Brandenburg, the situation doesn't get any better. German Environmental Aid has stated that 99 percent of air measuring stations in Germany exceed the WHO limit value recommendation for fine dust of 5 µg/m³. The burden is alarmingly high, particularly in urban areas such as Munich and Essen. Almost three quarters of the stations measure values ​​that exceed the harmful range for nitrogen dioxide, which becomes critical at values ​​above 10 µg/m³. This emerges from a press release from the DUH.

At this point, the DUH’s demand on the federal government is interesting. It suggests that the government should set clear limits in line with WHO recommendations by early 2025. The WHO only recommended drastically lower limit values ​​in 2021, and while 25 µg/m³ is still permitted in Germany, the US authority, for example, has already lowered the standards for harmful fine dust to 9 µg/m³.

Recommendations to reduce risks

With the current level of fine dust pollution, there are a few simple recommendations that you should heed: In the “very poor” air quality range, you should definitely avoid physical exertion outdoors, especially people with sensitive health. In the “bad” range, it is also recommended to avoid strenuous activities. In “moderate” conditions, short-term health effects are unlikely, but sensitive individuals could still be affected. Unfortunately, good air quality has currently become a rarity, while “very good” conditions for outdoor activities are almost unattainable.

In summary, the situation makes us think about the air quality in our cities and villages. It is up to each individual to take their own health seriously and take the appropriate precautions to counteract the negative effects of such exposure.