Air quality in Kiel in focus: fine dust levels are critically high!

Air quality in Kiel in focus: fine dust levels are critically high!

Today, June 14, 2025, air quality in Kiel is at the top of the agenda of concerned citizens and health-conscious people. According to kn-online.de, the air quality in this country is determined by the measuring station in the Bahnhofstrasse recorded regularly. This monitors in particular the fine dust particles (PM10) that are contained per cubic meter of air in the city. The limit value for PM10 is 50 micrograms per cubic meter, which may be exceeded up to 35 times per year. To make the whole thing more tangible, we look at the various air pollutants: fine dust, nitrogen dioxide and ozone, which have a significant influence on air quality.

But what about the specific limit values? Things get very bad when the values ​​for nitrogen dioxide climb above 200 µg/m³, for fine dust above 100 µg/m³ and for ozone above 240 µg/m³. Caution is advised in poor air conditions - nitrogen dioxide between 101 and 200 µg/m³, fine dust between 51 and 100 µg/m³ or ozone between 181 and 240 µg/m³. Sensitive people should avoid strenuous outdoor activities. With moderate air quality, with nitrogen dioxide between 41 and 100 µg/m³ and fine dust between 35 and 50 µg/m³, only short-term health effects are likely. When conditions are good and very good, people can spend time outdoors without any concerns.

Rising fine dust levels and health

Another exciting piece of information from schleswig-holstein.de is that air pollutants can also be comprehensively documented. Current measurement data is available for download in the open data portal Schleswig-Holstein. In addition to ozone and nitrogen dioxide, the pollutants measured also include various ingredients in fine dust. However, it is important to note here: All published data is considered “provisional” and is subject to subsequent review after the end of the year.

With regard to the health effects of air pollutants, the Federal Environment Agency points out that although air quality in Germany has made progress in recent decades, existing risks should not be underestimated. Nitrogen dioxide in particular, which is mainly produced by combustion processes, such as in road traffic, is a problem for asthmatics and can narrow the bronchi. Ozone levels should not be neglected either, as they can have negative effects on health in urban areas, both from newly formed smog and from increased stress during physical exertion.

Fireworks and air quality

There is a lot of debate surrounding the topic of fireworks, which cause fine dust levels on New Year's Eve, but are negligible compared to year-round pollution. Around 2,050 tons of fine dust are released through fireworks every year, with 75 percent of this amount occurring on New Year's Eve. After midnight at the latest, sharp increases in fine dust levels are recorded, but these quickly decrease again with the coming wind.

In summary, despite the progress mentioned, air quality in Kiel should always be kept in mind. Awareness and precaution are the be-all and end-all, especially for sensitive groups of people. So if you want to enjoy the fresh air, you would do well to regularly find out about the current measured values.