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The city of Helsinki is enacting measures to improve its already impressive air quality standards. The city has drawn up an air protection action plan for 2008–2016, outlining long term measures, goals, and evaluation methods to further lower emissions and pollutants. The plan was approved by the city council in May 2008. The vision for 2016 is to permanently improve air quality and lessen the negative impacts of pollutants on residents' health, thereby improving living conditions. Helsinki’s plan contains 43 measures, which focus on land use planning and transport, street dust, fine particles, research and communication. It includes measures designed to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and focuses on significantly reducing fine particles (PM10), due to the associated health risks. It also includes a separate communication plan aimed at providing the public with air quality information and recommendations on how to reduce emissions and avoid exposure. Under national legislation the creation of the action plan was mandatory. The Government Decree on Air Quality states that if the limit value for any emission or pollutant is exceeded (as set by the decree), the local authority must create an air quality action plan to rectify the situation. In Helsinki the limit value for NO2 is exceeded in the city centre, as a result of traffic exhaust emissions (it is generally exceeded along busy roads and in downtown Helsinki). The Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (now HSY Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority) has simultaneously prepared an air protection action plan for the entire metropolitan area, which contains background data along with measures for which the HSY is responsible. The cities of Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen have also prepared their own action plans. In recent years the city’s air quality has improved greatly and today it is high by international standards. This is thanks partly to the sustainable district heating system, which has resulted in the reduction of smoke stacks, and thanks to falling emissions from buildings, industry and electricity production. Small scale wood burning does however remain the cause of local air quality issues. Figure 1 reports the “Air Quality Index”. The colour coded index is based on health impacts, limit values and guidelines for air quality. When air quality is poor, health impacts are possible on sensitive individuals.[1]
Figure 1: Air quality classes and the connection between health impacts. Source: HSY
Figure 2: Helsinki air quality by month. Source: YTV
Figure 3: Real time air quality situation map for Helsinki, Finland. Source: HSY
Local authorities monitor the quality of ambient air at eleven sites, plus two sites for the Region of Uusimaa, which are considered representative of other similar environments. The results of these stations are updated every hour to the HSY website, available for the public to view (Figure 3). Seven are in permanent locations, whilst four move yearly. The measurements are used in studying the impacts of traffic and energy production on air quality, and in assessing air quality in residential areas and background areas (YTV, 2007).
The results of these measurements are available through an interactive online map that shows the results in real time. Users can click into the icons for more detailed information, including a graphical representation of the level of each pollutant, and the number of times a pollutant has exceeded the limit value at the monitoring site.
Users can also view a Google maps overview of each monitoring device throughout the city. The map, presented in Figure 4, provides information at each site in which air quality has been measured in the city historically. It shows past annual measurements, how busy the environment is on average and traffic volume.
Figure 4: Google map of air quality in Helsinki, Finland. Source: Google
To deal with a sudden decrease in air quality the city has created an air quality readiness plan. The plan covers three different types of episodes which would cause quality to suddenly change - an increase of nitrogen dioxide concentrations as a consequence of traffic emissions, a rise in street dust concentrations, or a high amount of smoke coming from a large terrain or building fire.[2]
Long range emissions are a major source of particles for Helsinki. Wildfires in Russia and other parts of Europe can contribute to the level of PM10 increasing greatly. As much as over half of the average particle concentrations in the metropolitan area are caused by the long range transport of particles from other countries. During a long range transportation episode visibility may be reduced and smoke may be detected in the air (City of Helsinki , 2010).
If it seems likely that air quality will deteriorate to the level that the air quality readiness plan is activated, information is sent automatically to the public from the city’s health departments, HYT and the Helsinki Environment Centre. Citizens are warned prior to the air quality deteriorating. This health and safety information is broadcast online and through traditional media. The air protection action plan is separated into seven sections. For each measure an objective, a respondent and impacts have been specified. In evaluating effectiveness, consideration has been given to air quality and other environmental impacts, costs, timeframes and feasibility. The National Public Health Institute has also evaluated the health impacts of the action plan:
1. General measures - includes international and national measures that Helsinki is helping to promote and implement. Helsinki will serve as a pioneer and exemplar in introducing measures. It is hoped their good example will motivate other countries to follow. The measure will influence taxation and legislation, influence international decision making through lobbying organisations and networks, encourage other countries to reduce particulates that can be dispersed over long distances, serve as an example for other countries and promote the implementation and development of public transport projects.
Measures
2. Land use planning and transport – In Helsinki motor vehicles are the primary threat to air quality, with the number of cars quadrupling in the Helsinki metropolitan area since the middle of the 1960s. Diesel cars were previously promoted in the city, as their CO2 emissions are significantly lower than petrol vehicles. This resulted in the number of diesel cars on the streets increasing. However, whilst diesel cars are lower in its emissions of CO2, they are far higher in emissions of pollutants. The introduction of more and more diesel cars had the negative consequence of increasing levels of NO2 in the atmosphere rapidly.
City planners intend to tackle the air pollution caused by private vehicles through emphasising air quality requirements in city land use planning, particularly people’s exposure to pollutants. Public transport use will be increased and cross-city lines developed, as this is where traffic is currently heaviest and thus air pollution most severe. Incentives to purchase low-emission vehicles and congestion charges are also being used.
An online journey planner was created by the Helsinki municipality, providing users with information on the best public transport options to reach their stated destination. The planner shows the times and cost of different public transport methods available, combining methods within the same journey where necessary. It also provides a map, displaying stops and journey routes, and the overall CO2 emissions of the journey. Park and ride information is also provided, as well as a price calculator, allowing potential travellers to predict the cost of their public transport use over a period of time. Helsinki was one of the first municipalities in Europe to enact such a planner. The main aims of the planner are to reduce congestion, enhance public health and protect the environment.
To make inter-modal public transport easier and more accessible, Helsinki has introduced an integrated ticket system. HSL’s tickets are valid on buses, trams, the Metro, commuter trains and Suomenlinna ferry. It is possible to transfer from one vehicle to another with the same ticket.
The city has also set up so-called “environmental zones”, which only low-emission buses and waste trucks may enter. Incentives for the purchase of low-emission vehicles are being introduced, such as reduced parking fees in the city centre.
Pedestrian zones are being developed and cycling and walking encouraged. The city is also looking into offering large companies direct mobility services.
The action plan also contains measures aimed at reducing ship emissions.
Measures
3. Street Dust – The city is addressing this by shifting the clearing of snow and the responsibility of street cleaning to a single actor, and improving the efficacy of street dust reducing machinery. The planning and construction of streets will also take into account concerns over street dust. In Helsinki, the high level of dust that occurs in springtime due to melting snow is problematic for the city – at these times the levels of particulate matter may be elevated for weeks. The dust comes from grit accumulated in snow banks and on road sides during the winter, from the wearing down of tires and asphalt, and from exhaust gas particles (YTY, 2010). The action plan addresses this problem, outlining measures such as sprinkling the streets with saline solution. Street cleaning is used to remove material from street surfaces that could potentially lower air quality. Larger sized loose material can be efficiently removed by street cleaning, but efficacy drops when attempting to clean smaller pieces of debris (conventional street cleaning equipment is not suited to removing PM10 sized dust particles). Attention has shifted to suction sweeping and pressurised washing from brushing, as the former is more effective. Pressurised washing was proven to reduce PM10 levels by 15 – 60%, compared to washing. It was also observed that when gritting streets, using salt rather than sand contributes to lowering atmospheric particulates. If dust levels are forecast to be high for a number of days, the city will advise the Public Works Department and the Uusimaa Road Administration to engage in street cleaning and binding (see below). The presence of construction sites within a city can play a sizeable role in influencing dust levels, particularly during summer when dust levels from other sources are low. In order to combat street dust, Helsinki has come up with a method to bind it, keeping it at road surface level rather than being circulated into the air by vehicles. The process involves adding dust binding agents to water, such as calcium chloride (CaCl2), magnesium chloride (MgCl2) and calcium magnesium acetate (CMA). These dust binding agents also lower the freezing point of the liquid. Water can be used as a dust binding agent but is ineffective as it soon evaporates. For dust binding to be effective, treatment must be repeated frequently and cover large areas (after treatment dust levels tend to return after four to five days). Dust binding is not a total solution however as the dust itself is not removed.
Measures
4. Energy production – Energy production emissions are strictly regulated, so the action plan does not add anything to this field. Furthermore emissions from energy production have practically no impact on the city's air quality thanks to high smokestacks.
5. Particulates - Small-scale wood burning significantly affects local air quality. However, using good, dry wood and the right burning technique considerably reduces emissions. The action plan supports and encourages the adoption of low-emission heating systems. Provisions concerning small-scale wood burning will be added to the city's environmental protection and waste management ordinances.
Measures
6. Research – Research will be conducted into efficient measures to reduce air pollutants. Research action plans include:
Land use planning and traffic:
Street dust:
Communications and education:
7. Communications and education – The plan aims to increase residents' environmental and air quality awareness through theme days, brochures and education. It is hoped that residents themselves will adapt their behaviour to improve air quality in ways such as adopting an economical driving style, using public transport and so on. Schools will also encourage pupils to walk, bike and use public transport.
Measures
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It is imperative that citizens are informed regarding air quality and are advised on a course of action in the case of a sudden deterioration in quality. In it’s air quality readiness plan, Helsinki states: “Communication is a fundamental element of the actions in all episodic situations. During situations of air pollution, the behaviour of the city residents is guided by means of the information and recommendations, which they are made aware of through the actions of the authorities.”