20.10.2009
CPH air quality information available on the internet
The daily measurements of air quality around Copenhagen Airport are now available on the Internet, making it possible for neighbours and others to check pollution levels by the hour. The air quality outside the terminals where the aircraft park will also be measured in connection with a project to improve the working environment for employees working in this area.
Pollution from aircraft, cars, machinery and other sources impacts the air quality around Copenhagen Airport every day. In order to monitor developments in the air quality, the Danish National Environmental Research Institute carries out measurements every day from fixed measuring stations. The current results of these measurements are now available on the Institute's website, www2.dmi.dk, and the results are updated once every hour.
“Our measurements show that the air quality around the airport is generally good with pollution levels that are far below regulatory threshold values. Pollution levels vary, however, from day to day and during the day, and wind and weather conditions also have a strong impact on the air quality,” says Henrik Peter Jørgensen, VP Communications at Copenhagen Airports.
“Through the Internet, the airport’s neighbours, employees and others can now follow developments by the hour and for instance compare with pollution levels in the centre of Copenhagen,” says Henrik Peter Jørgensen.
Pollution levels vary with car traffic
The measurements are made at stations located at the northern part of the airport around the terminal area, where the highest pollution levels are recorded. The purpose of the measurements is to control the air quality relative to the threshold values set by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. The stations measure levels of nitrogen oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2,5) and the results can be directly compared with similar measurements from other locations in Denmark forming part of the National Environmental Research Institute’s nationwide programme.
The air quality around Copenhagen Airport is impacted by car traffic around the airport, aircraft and industry and residential housing in the local area and in Copenhagen. Among other things, the measurements show that the average concentration of NO2 does not vary with the number of departures and arrivals over the day, but correlates more with the variation in car traffic in Copenhagen and the surrounding road system. In 2008, the concentration of NO2 at the airport was around half of the threshold value.
New measurements relative to working environment
As part of a large project to improve the air quality in the apron area – the area by the terminals where the aircraft park - Copenhagen Airport has now installed a measuring station in this area. This station will also measure the levels of so-called ultra-fine particulates, which are considered to be especially hazardous to health, including poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and selected volatile organic chemicals (VOC).
“At present, we do not have a complete picture of the air quality in the apron area and the sources of air pollution in this area, where many people work every day. With the new measuring results, the National Environmental Research Institute can give a much more precise picture of the air quality from a working environment point of view and make model calculations that also take into account the impacts from wind and weather conditions,” says Henrik Peter Jørgensen.
Several initiatives to improve air quality at the apron
The new stationary measurements will be supplemented by individual measurements made at various locations at the airport and completed after one year with the publishing of a report by the National Environmental Research Institute. The results will form the basis for the airport’s continued prioritisation and planning of measures to reduce air pollution in the apron area. Behind this work is a steering group consisting of representatives of a number of airport enterprises and the local F3 union in Kastrup.
“F3 Kastrup welcomes all initiatives to improve the environment, including the new measuring station. We have for a long time called for increased focus on the impacts that the employees are exposed to. We are pleased to see the management signalling more collaboration for a better environment,” says Lars Brogaard, union secretary of the local F3 union in Kastrup.
During the past 12 months, the steering group for air quality has initiated a number of short-term and long-term measures to help minimise the negative impact on the working environment in the apron area. For instance, the “turn-off your engine” campaign was initiated to keep vehicles from running idle in the area together with attempts to increase the share of environmentally friendly vehicles (power-driven, EU2 engines and/or particle filters) in the enterprises operating at the airport.