Particulate pollution in the capital region reached high levels yesterday afternoon, even blocking the view of the mountains surrounding Reykjavík. The pollution reached a peak around 16 (4pm) in the afternoon, when it was measured at 350 µg/m3, which is almost ten times higher than the yearly average in the European Union. As a consequence Reykjavík resembled a polluted urban center in a rapidly industrializing country like China. However, yesterday’s pollution was not caused by coal fired power plants, but natural causes.
Þorsteinn Jóhansson, at the Environment Agency of Iceland told local newspaper Morgunblaðið that the dust had most likely originated in Southern Iceland, blown up from the Landeyjarsandar beach. Visitors in Reykjavík thus got a new less beautiful glimpse of the volcanic black sands of Southern Iceland, this time suspended in air.
Unusually dry weather in the past few weeks caused conditions of dry mist, and winds from the east blew sand dust over the capital. The weather forecast for the next few days includes rain and southern winds which will clean the air.
Particulate pollution in the capital region reached high levels yesterday afternoon, even blocking the view of the mountains surrounding Reykjavík. The pollution reached a peak around 16 (4pm) in the afternoon, when it was measured at 350 µg/m3, which is almost ten times higher than the yearly average in the European Union. As a consequence Reykjavík resembled a polluted urban center in a rapidly industrializing country like China. However, yesterday’s pollution was not caused by coal fired power plants, but natural causes.
Þorsteinn Jóhansson, at the Environment Agency of Iceland told local newspaper Morgunblaðið that the dust had most likely originated in Southern Iceland, blown up from the Landeyjarsandar beach. Visitors in Reykjavík thus got a new less beautiful glimpse of the volcanic black sands of Southern Iceland, this time suspended in air.
Unusually dry weather in the past few weeks caused conditions of dry mist, and winds from the east blew sand dust over the capital. The weather forecast for the next few days includes rain and southern winds which will clean the air.
