03.12 Long-Term Development of
Air-Quality (Edition 2015)
Abstract
For a detailed and complete representation of the long-term development of air pollution in Berlin,
numerous separate maps are presented which

Both evaluate the findings of the Emissions Register since 1989 (in a grid of 1x1 km),

And also display all available measurements of the Immissions Register for selected
parameters (annual mean values, and/or infringements of limit or target values).
This archive contains the results of data gathering for particular parameters and measurement stations
over an approx. 35-year period.
Emissions
Berlin is one of those regions in Germany which, due to their air pollution situations, are mandated as
investigation areas under § 44 of the Federal Immission Protection Law (BImSchG) to install
emissions registers as per § 46. From these emissions, with the aid of dissemination calculations, it is
possible to determine the shares which certain groups of sources contribute to the air pollution
ascertained.
The emissions of relevant pollutants are determined for the following polluter groups:

plants requiring a permit (industrial plants)

heating systems not requiring a permit (domestic heating)

other plants not requiring a permit (small business)

motor vehicle traffic

other traffic (rail, ship and air traffic), and

other sources.
On the basis of the emissions data for the air parameters sulphur dioxide (SO 2) and nitric oxide (NO x)
comparably available on all polluter groups, the present maps illustrates the development since 1989.
The first survey year possible for all of Berlin still describes the situation prior to reunification, whereas
the other survey years show the long-term developments. In order to do justice to current
developments, the following changes have been taken into account for the survey year 2008-’09:


First, sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions are no longer shown, since SO2 has for years stagnated at
a low level, and its significance for clean-air is no longer great.
Second, observation series have been initiated in the Environmental Atlas with regard to the
emissions of the two particulate substances, PM10 and PM2.5. This is called for by their great
relevance for public health, and the fact that air-quality limit values have been exceeded.
In particular maps, broken down by survey year and polluter group, show clearly which groups have
the greatest share of responsibility for the emissions of these two substances in the different parts of
the city.
In the context of the Clean Air Plan, 2011-2017, all issues relevant in this context are described in
detail.
At this point, the following trends may be summarized (cf. Tab. 1):
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
Since 1989, all emissions have been greatly reduced, with reductions of between 73% for NOx and
95% for sulphur dioxide.

The total amount of all industrial plants requiring a permit has decreased significantly since
1989. Partly, this is based on closures of companies, due to the changed political and economic
situation. Other reductions in the number of plants are of statistical nature, since due to the
changed legal regulations, mandatory authorization has been abolished for a large number of
smaller plants. The emissions of these plants have since then been categorized into one of the
source groups “domestic heating” or “small business”. However, some groups of industrial plants,
such as those for the recycling and removal of wastes, have shown a remarkable increase in
emissions since the mid-‘90s.

In the area of domestic heating, which covers not only apartments, but also smaller stores,
doctors’ practices etc., an impressive decrease in emissions has been achieved, thanks to an
increase in pipeline-based energy sources, instead of the formerly predominant brown coal. This
is especially obvious with regard to the former lead parameter for air pollution, sulphur dioxide
(SO2). The energy-oriented rehabilitation of the old building stock, sponsored by the state of Berlin
since 1990 in an exemplary manner, has contributed to this considerably.

Meanwhile, motor vehicle traffic is the main cause of several pollutants, such as particulates and
oxides of nitrogen. In 2009, road traffic alone accounted for more than 40% of the nitric oxide
emissions in Berlin, while industrial plants caused less than 35% of the total of these emissions.
Since the pollution emitted by road traffic enters the atmosphere close to the ground (or “close to
the nose”), it contributes to a much greater degree to air pollution than do pollutants from high
smokestacks, which have already been greatly diluted by the time they reach ground level.
2
Tab. 1: Emissions in Berlin by emissions groups, 1989 to 2020 (trend)
The particulate emissions from the exhaust of motor vehicles, which are a health hazard, have
decreased by more than 80% between 1989 and 2009. This figure corresponds very well to
measurements of diesel exhaust particulates, the essential share of the particulate emissions from
exhaust, measured along streets in densely built-up areas; the measured concentration of diesel
exhaust particulates at Measurement Station 174 of the Berlin Clean Air Measurement Network
BLUME on Frankfurter Allee in the borough of Friedrichshain dropped by 50% during the period 20002008 (cf. also the evaluation of Map 03.12.1, Station 174). However, since emissions from tyre
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abrasion and turbulence have been reduced by only 43% over these 20 years, motor vehicle traffic
remains the second most important source of particulate emissions in Berlin, surpassed only by
the category "other sources". The calculated reduction from 2008 to 2009 is due to the use of new,
considerably lower emissions factors; in fact, emissions have probably only decreased by the factor of
the reduction in traffic volume, or by approximately 10%. Motor vehicle traffic, including abrasion and
turbulence, accounted for share of 29% of the particulate emissions in Berlin, while the “other sources”
category accounted for 51%. In the case of PM 2.5 particulate, the figures were 32% and 44%,
respectively.
In the case of nitrogen oxides, motor vehicle traffic has since the early 1990s replaced the industrial
plant category as the main polluter amongst Berlin sources. In 2009, road traffic had a share of 40% of
the nitrogen oxide emissions in Berlin, whereas industrial plants emitted about 35.2% of the total.
The atmospheric pollution load caused by road traffic in the inner city area, where some 1 million
inhabitants live in an area of approx. 100 sq. km, is relatively high. Especially here, the problems of
space utilization and competition for a growing road traffic volume will increase, if current trend
conditions continue. Particularly, road transport of goods will, given unchanged conditions, meet
increasing capacity limits in road space.
Immissions
The European guidelines for air quality list a large number of substances which burden the
atmosphere especially strongly due to increased anthropogenic production. Throughout the EU, it is
necessary to monitor and decrease this extensive phenomenon, and to restrict the environmental
damage it causes. The EU Air Quality Directive contains specific immissions values as limit or
threshold values, and also target values which are to be attained within a certain period. These values
are oriented toward those of the World Health Organisation (WHO), to limit the impairment to human
and animal health, and to protect the flora and fauna from environmental hazards (cf. Tab. 2).
The EU Air Quality Directive has been implemented into national law in Germany as the Federal
Immission Protection Law, under § 44 - 46a, under which Berlin is mandated to measure and to
publish the measurement results for all air pollutants which may be dangerous for human beings
and/or nature. The most important pollutants are: airborne particulates (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2),
nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitric oxide (NO x), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), benzene
and ozone (O3). For most of these atmospheric parameters, there are limit values and supplementary
tolerance margins (i.e., a sliding scale of annual steps towards attainment of the limit). If these limits
are not complied with, special measures must be taken to reduce immission concentrations. Part of
this system is the above mentioned Clean Air Plan 2011-2017.
Special attention is to be paid to all polluters and emissions which contribute to a considerable degree
to exceeding the key immissions values.
Since 1975, the atmospheric pollution load in Berlin has been monitored with the aid of the Berlin Air
Quality Monitoring Network (BLUME) of the Senate Department of Urban Development and
Environment. Currently (as of July 2015), the network consists of 16 fixed measurement stations for air
pollutant monitoring, and in addition one meteorological station and one mobile measurement unit, the
"measurement bus". Each station provides a measurement for each air pollutant very five minutes,
and sends it to the Control Centre on Brückenstrasse (borough of Mitte); from this, the half-hourly,
hourly and daily values are calculated as the basis for further evaluations.
These calculated values provide a basis for

the calculation of statistical values of the atmospheric pollution load for evaluating the air quality
by means limit and target values

the determination of the pollutant load for permit procedures under the Technical Instructions on
Air Quality Control (TA Luft)

investigation into the causes of atmospheric pollution load

the tracing of the effectiveness of measures to clean the air, and
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
providing information for the public.
Nitric oxide (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), airborne particles (PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), benzene
and ozone (O3) are measured at the measurement stations. The stations are distributed around the
city in such a way that various spatial effect factors can be ascertained. Of the 16 stations, six are
along heavily travelled streets, five are in inner-city areas (both residential and commercial), and five
are at the periphery of the city or in forest areas.
The measured data are sent every hour to the Institute of Meteorology at the Free University of
Berlin, and can be queried per phone (0900 1 270 643; a fee is required) to obtain information on the
current air quality situation. In summer, specifically, the current ozone load may be accessed; some
broadcasting stations also use this service when increased concentrations occur in the city.
Every weekday the measured values of the day before are sent to the press office of the Senate
Department of Health, Environment and Consumer Protection, and to several newspapers and radio
and TV stations for public broadcast. Additionaly, the values are published on the Internet, and can be
accessed there under Tageswerte der letzten 7 Tage (“Daily values for the past seven days”;
available only in German). Monthly and annual reports, which, in addition to an evaluation of the
preceding measurement, also contain site tables of the measurement stations and an overview of limit
and target values, are also available online.
Since 1997, the network has been expanded by initially 20, and now 25 small, low cost sampling
devices installed at the streets, the samples of which are analyzed in the laboratory (RUBIS
Measurement Network, as of July 2015). With these miniaturized devices, weekly samples of benzene
and soot have been collected. In addition, passive collectors have been installed at these sites to
ascertain nitric oxide values. These devices collect samples for periods of 14 days, which are then
analyzed in the laboratory. These manually generated data are, due to the time lag necessary for
analysis between measurement and generation of results, and also due to their minimal temporal
resolution, only published as annual mean values in the annual reports.
The results of the measurements of the last years allow the following conclusions to be drawn:
Compared with the 1970s and '80s, the atmospheric burden of most air pollutants has been
reduced by orders of magnitude. Thus for example, sulphur dioxide concentrations have been
reduced by > 90 %, and under no circumstances exceed the EU limit values.
With regard to PM10, the situation has improved significantly compared to the years at the
beginning of this century. However, the PM10 burden strongly depends on the meteorological
conditions of propagation. In particular, high pressure conditions in winter with low southerly to
easterly winds lead to a high accumulation of PM10 particulates in the air in the Berlin area, some
of which are brought to Berlin by long-distance transport and some of which originate from sources
within the city, primarily road traffic. In the years with worse exchange conditions, such as 20092011 and also 2014, the annual mean PM10 concentrations were slightly higher, whereas in the
years with better exchange conditions, such as 2007 and 2008 as well as 2012 and 2013, they
were correspondingly lower. The annual mean concentrations for 2014 detected at the stations of
the automatic monitoring network were 21-24 µg/m³ in the suburbs, 25-27 µg/m³ in inner-city areas
and 30-32 µg/m³ along heavily travelled streets. Therefore the annual mean limit was not exceeded
even at the measuring point with the highest load. Also the RUBIS measurements for 2012 did not
find evidence of limit exceedances for PM10 in urban canyons. By contrast, the short-term limit
value for PM10 (the daily mean must not exceed the value of 50 µg/m³ more than 35 times a year)
was exceeded at four out of five measuring points near roads in 2014. The number of exceedances
at these stations ranged between 48 and 37.
 However, there are still substances which regularly exceed the limits values, in particular areas
with road influences. Especially nitrogen dioxide NO 2, whose measurements in 2014 were between
42 and 62 µg/m³ near roads. The limit of the 39th BlmSchV (40 µg/m³) effective since 2010 was
thus exceeded at all six automatic measuring points near roads, although at station 174
(Frankfurter Allee) only barely with 42 µg/m³. The values for near-ground ozone also frequently
exceed the EU's long-term 8-hour target at several sites during the summer months. In Berlin limit
values were exceeded on up to 21 days in the summer of 2014 in peripheral areas. The EU-wide
target for 2010 of a maximum of 25 days per year averaged over the last 3 years, was fulfilled in
2014, as only 9-18 exceedances were detected. Since 01.01.2010 this target value is to be kept as
far as possible.
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 Improvements of the air quality have to do with many components. The de-industrialization of
Berlin, the modernization of facilities, the use of catalytic converters in vehicles, and the
changeover to more low-emission heating fuels had an impact.
The detailed, always correct overview and compilation of the quality of Berlin's air is provided online
here (available only in German).
But since immissions are also influenced by supra-regional effects and weather events, an analysis of
causes cannot be only local, but rather must also investigate the immission of pollutants from outside,
including cross-border transportation (cf. again Berlin Clean Air Plan 2011-2017).
For the present Map 03.12.1 Long-Term Development of Air-Quality – Immissions, all available data
collected in the measurement programmes described over the past 35 years have been compiled,
and prepared statistically and graphically with regard to measurement year. For spatial distribution of
current and former measurement stations and measurement points, the following data can be
accessed for each station:







address
type of station
description of neighbourhood (including pictures)
coordinates
measurement parameters
period of measurement
measured values (as a graphic and as EXCEL tables).
The character of the sites is broken down into the categories traffic, residential area, industrial,
suburban, and meteorological stations.
A total of 187 measurement stations are presented, of which 39 are still in operation (16 BLUME
Network measurement containers, and 23 from RUBIS measurement points [as of July 2015]).
For the graphic presentation of the development of the parameters particulate matter (PM10), sulphur
dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen monoxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), benzene und
ozone (O3), the following limit and target values have been referenced (unless otherwise stated, they
are for the purposes of health protection):
Mean value for
Limit value
Compliance date
24 hr
50 µg/m3 PM10
35 exceedings/year
since 01.01.2005
1 Year
40 µg/m3 PM10
since 01.01.2005
Time value: 1 year
25 µg/m³ PM 2.5
since 01.01.2010
Limit value stage 1 : 1 year
25 µg/m³ PM 2.5
as of 01.01.2015
Limit value stage 2 : 1 year
20 µg/m³ PM 2.5
as of 01.01.2020
1 hr
350 µg/m3 SO2
24 exceedings/year
since 01.01.2005
24 hr
125 µg/m3 SO2
3 exceedings/year
since 01.01.2005
mean value, October - March
(for the protection of ecosystems)
30 µg/m³ SO2
3 exceedings/year
since 01.01.2005
1 hr
200 µg/m3 NO2
18 exceedings/year
since 01.01.2010
6
40 µg/m3 NO2
1 Year
30
1 year
(limit value for the protection of ecosystems)
µg/m3
NOx
since 01.01.2010
since 01.01.2002
8 hr
10 µg/m3 CO
maximum 8-hr. mean of a day
since 01.01.2005
1 year
5 µg/m3 benzene
since 01.01.2010
µg/m3
8 hr
(target value)
120
ozone
top 8-hr. mean of a day
25 exceedings/ 3-year mean
since 01.01.2010
1 year
(calendar year)
6 ng/m³ arsenic (part of PM10)
(target value)
as of 31.12.2012
1 year
(calendar year)
5 ng/m³ cadmium (part of
PM10)
(target value)
as of 31.12.2012
1 year
(calendar year)
20 ng/m³ nickel (part of PM10)
(target value)
as of 31.12.2012
1 year
(calendar year)
1 ng/m³ benzo(a)pyrene
(part of PM10)
(target value)
as of 31.12.2012
Tab. 2: Limit and target values for selected air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, NOx, CO,
benzene und ozone)
Literature
[1]
BMUNR (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Conservation of Nature and Reactor
Safety) (ed.) 1987:
The effects of air pollution on human health. Report of the conference of state ministers of the
environment, Bonn.
[2]
Kalker, U. 1993:
Gesundheitliche Bewertung der verkehrsbedingten Schadstoffe Stickoxide, Benzol und
Dieselruß-Partikel [health assessment for traffic related pollutants nitric oxide, benzene and
diesel soot], in: Forum Städte-Hygiene no. 44, Frankfurt.
[3]
Kühling, W. 1986:
Planungsrichtwerte für die Luftqualität, in: Schriftenreihe Landes- und
Stadtentwicklungsforschung des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen. Materialien, vol 4.045, [planning
guide values for air-quality] ed.: Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development oft he
state of North Rhine-Westphalia, for the state Minister oft he Environment, Spatial Planning and
Agriculture, Dortmund.
[4]
Liwicki, M., Garben, M. 1993:
Emissionskataster Straßenverkehr Berlin 1993 [emission register for road traffic in Berlin], report
for the Senate Administration for Urban Development and Environmental Protection, Berlin, not
published.
[5]
SenStadtUm (Senate Department for Urban Development and the Environment) (ed.)
2012a:
Luftgüte-Messnetz (BLUME) [the air-quality measurement network], Download of detailed
monthly and annual reports, Berlin.
Internet:
http://www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de/umwelt/luftqualitaet/de/messnetz/monat.shtml
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[6]
SenStadtUm (Senate Department for Urban Development and the Environment) (ed.)
2012b:
Luftreinhalteplan 2011-2017, Berlin [Berlin Clean Air Plan 2011-2017].
Internet:
http://www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de/umwelt/luftqualitaet/de/luftreinhalteplan/
Laws and Ordinances
[7]
Allgemeine Verwaltungsvorschrift über straßenverkehrsrechtliche Maßnahmen bei
Überschreiten von Konzentrationswerten nach der 23. BImSchV (VwV-StV-ImSch).
Bundesanzeiger no. 243, p. 13393 of 31 December 1996.
[8]
23rd Ordinance for the Implementation of the German Federal Immissions Law
(Verordnung über die Festlegung von Konzentrationswerten - 23. BImSchV). BGBl I no.
66, p. 1962 of 20 December 1996.
[9]
Council Directive 85/203/EEC of 7 March 1985 On Air Quality Standards for Nitrogen
Dioxide. Official Journal no. L 087, 27/03/1985 P. 1.
[10]
Council Directive 96/62/EC of 27 September 1996 On Ambient Air Quality Assessment
and Management. Official Journal no. L 296 p. 55.
[11]
Council Directive 1999/30/EC of 22 April 1999 Relating to Limit Values for Sulphur
Dioxide, Nitrogen Dioxide and Oxides of Nitrogen, Particulate Matter and Lead in Ambient
Air. Official Journal no. L 163, 29 June 1999, p. 41.
[12]
Directive 2000/69/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 November 2000
Relating to Limit Values for Benzene and Carbon Monoxide in Ambient Air. Official Journal
no. L 313, 13 Dec. 2000, p. 12.
[13]
Directive 2002/3/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2002
Relating to Ozone in Ambient Air. Official Journal no. L 67, 9 Mar. 2002, p. 14.
[14]
Directive 2004/107/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council Relating to Arsenic,
Cadmium, Mercury, Nickel and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ambient Air. Official
Journal no. L of 26 Jan. 2005 no. L 23 p. 3.
[15]
7th Amendment to the German Federal Immissions Law (BImschG). BGBl, 2002, Pt. I, no.
66, pp. 3622 ff, of 17 September 2002.
[16]
33rd Ordinance for the Implementation of the German Federal Immissions Law
(BImschG), of 13 July 2004. BGBl. I no. 36 2004, pp. 1612 ff.
[17]
39th Ordinance for the Implementation of the German Federal Immissions Law (BImschG),
of 2 August 2010. BGBl. I 2010, pp. 1065.
Internet:
http://bundesrecht.juris.de/bundesrecht/bimschv_39/index.html
(access on 4 October 2010)
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