The street dust season has begun

The street dusting season every spring has started in the South Karelia region and in the whole of southern Finland.

- When the snow melts and the road surfaces dry, the sand applied to prevent slipping and the asphalt and gravel ground by the tires rise into the air from the now dry road surface due to traffic, says environmental protection planner Riikka Litmanen from the environmental department of the Imatra region.

Particle concentrations in the air have increased and air quality may deteriorate, especially along busy streets and in downtown areas. Snow melt waters and water rains may momentarily lower particle concentrations and improve air quality. The spring dust season usually lasts from mid-March to the end of April, depending on the progress of spring.

The start of street cleaning works depends a lot on night frosts and weather conditions. Efforts have been made to start cleaning the sandblasting sand as soon as the weather conditions allow it.

Street dust may cause symptoms in sensitive population groups, such as allergy sufferers, asthmatics and heart patients. Symptoms can be e.g. nasal congestion, cough, anxiety of spirit and roughness of throat.

Up-to-date air quality information on particles and other measured air pollutants can be found on the air quality pages maintained by the Finnish Meteorological Institute Air quality - Institute of Meteorology as well as local information on measured concentrations from South Karelia's own air quality website ekilmanlaatu.net