PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 and refers to tiny particles or
droplets in the air that are two and a half microns or less in width. That is 20 times
smaller than a human hair (40 – 70 micrometers (µm)).
PM2.5 primarily comes from traffic and off–road vehicles (e.g.,
construction equipment, locomotive) exhausts. The burning of fossil fuels and
wildfires are also sources of particulate matter. This pollutant can travel long distances
from its source and can therefore affect areas far away.
HEALTH IMPACTS:
The smaller the dust particles are, the deeper they penetrate the airways and can enter the
bloodstream from there.
Particulate matter increases the risk of cough, bronchitis, asthma, kidneys,
circulatory and central nervous system problems.
Berlin’s PM2.5 hasn’t made it
PM2.5 – from 2005 until 2018
The blue area shows levels exceeding the present politically negotiated limits for PM2.5 set by EU
law and the green one shows the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the
least harmful set levels of PM2.5 for human beings.
The recommended level of PM2.5 by WHO is, as seen in the graph, aproximately 50% lower than the law stipulated by EU.
PM2.5 – from 2005 until 2018
As it can be observed in the graph the levels of PM2.5 has not been exceeding the EU level
since 2007, but so far the WHO recommendation has never been met since the beginning of the
measurements in 2004.
Insight
In Berlin, particulate matter 2.5 has been measured since 2004 on the main street
Frankfurter Allee and at the urban background station in Neukölln. In 2007 and 2008
the urban background stations in Mitte and Wedding were added. In 2011 the outskirt station
in Buch was added.
PM2.5 pollution tends to decrease over the years. On the main streets the
decrease was somewhat stronger. This shows the effect of the low emission zone, which
has specifically reduced emissions of the very fine diesel soot particles.
The increased PM2.5 pollution in 2006, 2010 and 2014 has attributed to poor
dispersion conditions, primarily to pollutant emissions from wood–burning heating systems
and a high level of fine dust from areas outside Berlin.
