Air quality in Leipzig: Is it healthy or risky today?

Air quality in Leipzig: Is it healthy or risky today?

Leipzig-Mitte, Deutschland - On April 24, 2025, the measured values ​​for air quality in Leipzig are of great importance. Fine dust particles (PM10) per cubic meter of air are recorded at the measuring station in Leipzig-Mitte. The legal limit for PM10 is 50 micrograms per cubic meter, whereby this value may be exceeded up to 35 times annually. The air quality is measured in Leipzig based on three central values: fine dust, ozone and nitrogen dioxide. These limit values ​​are crucial for the classification of the air quality in different categories.

The criteria for the evaluation of the air quality are as follows: "Very bad" is defined by fine dust values ​​above 100 μg/m³, ozone over 240 μg/m³ and nitrogen dioxide over 200 μg/m³. "Bad" moves in the range of 51-100 μg/m³ of fine dust or 181-240 μg/m³ ozone. The "moderate" category is between 35-50 μg/m³ of fine dust and 121-180 μg/m³ ozone. In contrast, in the case of an air quality of "good" or "very good", no health -adverse effects can be expected, which significantly improves the requirements for outdoor activities. The situation is alarming in the EU: there are 240,000 early deaths every year due to fine dust.

recommendations in poor air quality

The recommendations in poor air quality are clear. With "very bad" air quality, sensitive people should avoid physical exertion outdoors. In the case of “bad” air quality, less sensitive people are refrained from exhausting activities outdoors. In the case of “moderate” air quality, on the other hand, short -term health effects are unlikely, but long -term exposure can lead to health problems. This information is not only important for Leipzig's citizens, but also for health and environmental policy decision-makers.

Data on air quality in Leipzig

A comprehensive source of information on air quality in Leipzig is the Dashboard of the open data portals Leipzig . This system offers valuable information about critical pollutants in the air, behavioral tips and data on the long -term development of air quality. In addition to fine dust (PM10, PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) are also considered. The data comes from a variety of environmental sensors, whereby official measurement points of the State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology, private companies and passive collectors are involved. This data is processed in various time resolutions, which enables a detailed analysis.

Another aspect is the latest developments at the EU level. According to the European environmental agency (eua) , air pollution remains the greatest environmentally related health risk in Europe, especially in urban areas. Between 2005 and 2022, the number of deaths due to fine dust dropped by 45 %, but the challenges remain significant. According to estimates, there were 239,000 deaths in the EU in 2022, 70,000 by ozone and 48,000 by nitrogen dioxide, whereby many of these deaths could have been avoided by compliance with the WHO guidelines.

The EU has set itself the goal of reducing the fine dust pollution by 55 % by 2030, which includes new expectations of air quality and monitoring. These developments underline the need for cities such as Leipzig to take proactive steps to improve air quality and at the same time protect the health of their citizens.