Air quality measurements and meteorological measurements. Annual Report Background Monitoring Network for the Federal Environment Agency 2020.

The Federal Environment Agency operates seven air quality centres at which background pollution, distance transport of air pollutants and air quality trends are collected. The report shows the results of the measurements in 2020 and the development of the last 30 years.The limit values for particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide as well as for heavy metals and benzo(a)pyrene were met at all measuring stations in 2020. The lowest levels to date have been recorded at most measuring stations. Ozone exposure in 2020 was well below the average of the last decades. This was due, among other things, to the significantly lower emissions of NOx due to the pandemic. Nevertheless, the target values for ozone for the protection of human health and vegetation were exceeded at five measuring points.