Ambient air

Overview

Air pollution is considered the greatest environmental hazard to human health today. It is estimated that in Europe, around the number of people equivalent to the population of Tallinn die prematurely each year due to air pollution. Therefore, it is very important to know about the quality of our ambient air and how our activities directly affect it.

Based on the results of the air pollutant emission inventory conducted by the Environment Agency, we know the amount of specific pollutants discharged into the air annually as a result of human activity. We receive a significant part of the data for this from the annual reports of companies who have an environmental protection permit (in Estonian). In addition, we take into account emissions from the use of fuels and solvents by households, the transport sector, agricultural land use and waste management.

Annual emissions data allow us to assess the achievement of the environmental protection goals set for Estonia.

One of the goals is to reduce the emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, ammonia and especially fine particles by 32%, 18%, 10%, 1% and 15%, respectively, compared to these emissions in 2005. The goals set for the member states of the European Union are part of the Clean Air Policy Package and so far we have remained within the permitted limits.

We can find out what our air quality is from the ambient air monitoring carried out within the national environmental monitoring framework.