Air Quality Measurements and Meteorological Measurements Annual Report Background Monitoring Network 2011

The 2011 annual report is based on the measurements of the offices of the state governments and the Federal Environment Agency and provides an overview of the air quality situation in Austria. In 2011, numerous exceedances of the limit and target values of the Air Pollution Protection Act for particulate matter (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were registered, as well as for ozone, occasionally also for sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, benzo(a)pyrene and dust precipitation. The limit and target values for PM2.5, lead, arsenic, cadmium and nickel in PM10 and for benzene were met. Exceeding limit values for NO2 occurred mainly on busy roads, with fine dust especially in larger cities and, as a result of long-distance transport, in eastern Austria. Both pollutants had similar concentrations in 2011 to those in 2010.