Street dust season remained moderate in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area
This spring, there were slightly fewer dusty days in the Helsinki metropolitan area and elsewhere in Uusimaa compared to the previous five years. Street dust was in the air from February to May.
The street dust season lasts for several months
Overall, the street dust season was moderate this spring in the Helsinki metropolitan area and elsewhere in Uusimaa. Street dust concentrations remained lower than in recent years, according to our air quality measurements.
In the spring, the most dusty days in the Helsinki metropolitan area were along Ring III in Viinikkala in Vantaa, on Teollisuuskatu in central Helsinki, and in Leppävaara, Espoo. On a dusty day, the daily concentration of respirable particles is over 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air.
April rains curbed the spread of dust into the air
The air in the Helsinki metropolitan area was most dusty during the spring in March, when precipitation was also lower than usual. In April, however, it rained slightly more than normal, which curbed the dust on the streets. In May, the spring cleaning of the streets was completed, and there were no more dusty days.
Even in Uusimaa, the street dust concentrations we measured remained moderate. There were two dusty days in Lohja and four in Porvoo. The dusty days occurred in February–March.
Street dust mainly consists of finely ground asphalt and sanding gravel. Studded tires, in particular, wear down the asphalt and increase the amount of dust. The timing and intensity of the spring street dust season vary annually depending on winter and spring weather conditions. On sunny and dry days, there can be a lot of dust in the air, while meltwater and rain moisten the road surfaces and reduce dust.
HSY monitors the air quality in the Helsinki metropolitan area and elsewhere in Uusimaa. You can check the current air quality on our website: hsy.fi/en/airquality.
More information: