Copenhagen has launched the ‘City Air’ app designed to help vulnerable residents, particularly those with chronic health conditions, monitor air pollution levels and take necessary precautions to protect their health.
Impact of Air Pollution on Health
In Copenhagen, citizens suffering from chronic respiratory conditions like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma, and various heart diseases are significantly affected during days of high air pollution. Vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and children with specific chronic ailments, are at heightened risk when pollution levels rise. Residents frequently experience symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and irritation of the mucous membranes on days marked by air quality concerns.
Recognizing this critical public health issue, the City of Copenhagen has developed the app ‘Byens Luft’ (City Air), through which residents can access daily air quality forecasts and receive alerts about pollution levels from 103 locations throughout Copenhagen and Frederiksberg.
“More than one in seven Copenhageners are particularly vulnerable to air pollution, and each year, this contaminated air is responsible for thousands of illnesses and over 400 premature deaths in our city,” stated Sisse Marie Welling, the city’s Health and Care Mayor. “Our new app aims to assist residents, especially those with asthma or COPD, by sending alerts on days when they are particularly at risk—especially when local weather conditions trap pollution, elevating particle levels in the air we breathe.”
Line Barfod, the city’s Technical and Environmental Mayor, added, “One glance out the window may not reveal the extent of air pollution, but it’s very much present. For many Copenhageners, this poses a significant health risk. We hope that the new app will ease daily life for those affected while we continue our efforts to reduce pollution in the city.”
A Positive Reception from Health Advocates
The launch of the ‘City Air’ app has been met with enthusiasm from health organizations, such as the Asthma and Allergy Association of Denmark. Anne Holm Hansen, the association’s director, remarked, “Breathing should not be dangerous, yet for many Copenhageners with asthma, it is regrettably so. We appreciate that this tool allows them to take precautions when particulate emissions are high. This service has been long-awaited, and we hope it will inspire similar warning systems in other Danish cities in the future.”
The ‘City Air’ app provides vulnerable residents with a comprehensive overview of when air pollution is expected to rise. Users can receive notifications tailored to specific neighborhoods or even precise local addresses near their homes or workplace. The app’s forecasts extend four days into the future and are based on model computations of air quality from the Danish Center for Energy and Environment at Aarhus University.
Currently, the app monitors pollutants for which the EU and the World Health Organization (WHO) have established clear limits and guidelines. This includes fine particles (PM2.5), coarse particles (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3). Plans are in place to expand the app’s capabilities to encompass additional air pollutants, such as ultrafine particles, for which data is already being collected by Copenhagen’s air quality monitoring stations.
Upon detecting ‘very high’ air pollution levels in their designated areas, app users receive automatic alerts. During periods categorized as ‘high’ or ‘very high’ pollution, users are advised on how to mitigate risks associated with their vulnerability. Furthermore, additional information about air pollution and health, along with guidelines and tips, is available on the app’s supporting website.
The app serves approximately 90,000 Copenhagen residents identified as particularly susceptible to the detrimental effects of air pollution.
Key Facts about the ‘City Air’ App
The ‘City Air’ app is available for free and can be downloaded from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
The app provides forecasts and alerts indicating where and when air pollution in Copenhagen is expected to be elevated over the next four days using a predictive alert map.
This resource has been specifically designed for residents particularly susceptible to air pollution, including:
- Individuals with asthma, COPD, heart disease, and lung diseases
- Pregnant women
- (Family members of) Children dealing with asthma, allergies, or other chronic conditions affecting the lungs, heart, immune system, or nervous system
The app categorizes pollution forecasts through an index featuring four levels: low, moderate, high, and very high air pollution.
For those in the ‘high’ or ‘very high’ categories, the app recommends that vulnerable citizens limit physical activity and avoid heavily trafficked roads in areas with high pollution levels, opting instead for green spaces or routes with less vehicular traffic.
Citizens who do not fall into vulnerable categories do not need to take special precautions, even during periods of high pollution.
Understanding Air Pollution in Copenhagen
According to WHO guidelines, prolonged exposure to air pollution can lead to serious health conditions, including heart disease, thromboembolism, COPD, asthma, and cancer.
It is estimated that approximately 415 Copenhagen residents die prematurely each year due to air pollution, accounting for about 11% of all deaths in the municipality based on data from 2022. This contamination contributes to health-related expenses (from early deaths and illnesses) amounting to around 7.6 billion Danish kroner in 2022.
Air pollution is responsible for more than 278,000 sick days annually in the city, affecting the health and quality of life of residents, particularly children who are more vulnerable than adults. Children are still in developmental stages and tend to inhale more air relative to their body weight, making them more susceptible to the negative impacts of pollution.
Despite the pollution levels, residents are encouraged to continue biking, walking, and exercising. The public health benefits of physical activity surpass the adverse effects associated with air pollution, even on the most polluted streets.
Most air pollution in the City of Copenhagen originates from sources outside the municipality, with local factors contributing to only 7% of premature deaths associated with air pollution. The remaining 93% stems from external factors, including pollutants from neighbor municipalities.
Primary local sources of air pollution in the area include wood burning and road traffic.
While the state regulates air quality in Denmark, Copenhagen’s initiatives for cleaner air include the establishment of environmental zones, a ban on old wood-burning stoves, and shore power facilities for cruise ships. The Copenhagen municipality also collaborates with the nation’s leading experts and utilizes data from its air quality monitoring stations to improve knowledge in the field, gathering information not only on the aforementioned pollutants but also on ultrafine particles, for which no limit values have been set to date.
