Fine dust alarm in Potsdam: How dangerous is the air today?

Fine dust alarm in Potsdam: How dangerous is the air today?

Air quality in Potsdam is currently the focus of attention, especially the fine dust values, which, on June 15, 2025, were recorded by the measuring station in the Potsdam center. In the last survey it became clear that the limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air for fine dust (PM10) must not be exceeded easily. According to Maz-online.de it is allowed to exceed this value 35 times a year, which underlines the relevance of continuous monitoring.

The air quality is not only determined by fine dust, but also by nitrogen dioxide and ozone. With these pollutants, there are also clear limit values ​​that are defined for each category of "very bad" to "very good". An example: Values ​​for nitrogen dioxide over 200 μg/m³ are classified as harmful to health, while values ​​below 50 μg/m³ display a rather good air quality.

hours of hours and health recommendations

The measurements that take place every hour offer the population a valuable way to check the current air quality. According to luftdaten.brandenburg.de the data are updated live, but these are provisional values ​​that are finalized after a quality control.
In addition, the development in the EU has shown that around 240,000 premature deaths are due to the burden of fine dust. The following applies to the population: In the case of "poor" air quality, sensitive groups of people such as asthmatics or older citizens should avoid physical exertion outdoors as far as possible. In the case of "moderate" air quality, no immediate health threats can be expected, but precautions should also be taken here.

If the air quality should be classified as "very bad", it is advisable to completely avoid physical exertion outdoors. These recommendations are particularly important, especially in urban areas, where air pollution is a recurring problem.

long-term developments and EU goals

At European level, the data show that the health effects improve through long -term exposure to these pollutants. Between 2005 and 2022, the number of deaths dropped over 45 percent due to fine dust, which gives rise to hope. But air pollution remains the greatest environmental health risk in Europe. It was estimated that there were around 239,000 deaths in 2022, which were due to fine dust if the WHO guidelines were not observed.

In order to improve this situation, the EU pursues its zero pollutant action plan to reduce the number of deaths by air pollution by 55 percent by 2030. In addition, new air quality guidelines were introduced, which are to be harmonized more closely with the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). A look at the air quality shows that there is still a lot to do to protect the population from the dangers of impaired air.

With measures to reduce emissions, one hopes to significantly improve not only the ecological but also the health situation. It remains exciting how the air quality in Potsdam and thus in many cities in Europe will develop in the coming years. A start is made, but the long -term goals are challenging and require the commitment of everyone.