The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) expects that the air quality around New Years Eve will be poor to very poor, especially in areas where fireworks are set off. The setting off of fireworks causes, despite the expected wind and rain, locally high concentrations of fine particulate matter. These high concentrations can lead to health complaints.
Health Complaints and Advice
A high concentration of fine particulate matter in the air from fireworks can, along with other pollutants in the air, lead to a decrease in lung function. Respiratory complaints such as wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath may increase. Especially people with lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis or emphysema, and people with cardiovascular diseases may suffer.
They can prevent or reduce complaints by staying indoors during the first hours around New Years Eve and not exerting themselves too much. In some cases, medication – in consultation with a doctor – may be adjusted.
Check the Air Quality
On Luchtmeetnet.nl (external link) the air quality in the Netherlands can be seen. People can check the current air quality at their location 24 hours a day. The site collects measurement data from various government agencies. The website is an initiative of the RIVM, GGD Municipal Health Service (Municipal Health Service), Amsterdam, DCMR Environmental Service Rijnmond (Environmental Service Rijnmond), the province of Limburg, Environmental Service Midden- en West-Brabant and Environmental Service Regio Arnhem.
Measure Together
This year, people across the Netherlands will also measure air quality in their living environment during New Years Eve. The results will be published after New Years via the Together Measuring Data Portal (external link). The current measurements of fine particulate matter can be seen on Together Measuring (external link).
The measurement points provide a good additional picture of the air quality over the Netherlands due to their number and distribution.
More Information
- Current and expected information about air quality and smog can be found on Luchtmeetnet.nl (external link) and NOS-Teletext page 711 (external link)
- Information about smog on the RIVM website.
- Information about lung diseases and air pollution can be found at the Lung Foundation (external link).