24-hour average concentrations of fine particulate matter have fallen below the information thresholds again throughout Belgium, the Interregional Cell for the Environment (Ircel) reports.
At the end of last week, 24-hour average concentrations of particulate matter in Brussels, Wallonia and Flanders were above the information thresholds of 35 micrograms per cubic metre for PM2.5 and 50 micrograms per cubic metre for PM10 respectively.
PM10 is fine particulate matter with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres, PM2.5 is smaller than 2.5 micrometres.
Ircel therefore sent out a warning and the Flemish Environment Agency spoke out against burning wood in stoves and fireplaces.
On Tuesday morning, 24-hour average concentrations of particulate matter had dropped below the thresholds again in the three regions. As of noon, the concentrations of both PM10 and PM2.5 were displayed as 'good' to 'very good' on Ircel's website.
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Over the next few days, now that strong winds have picked up, Ircel no longer expects particulate matter information thresholds to be exceeded.
A recent report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) showed that air quality is improving in Europe as a whole, with around 60,000 fewer people dying "prematurely due to fine particulate matter" in 2018 than in 2009.
Jason Spinks
The Brussels Times
