Report raises alarm about air quality in Bjørvika, Oslo

The air quality in Bjørvika, Oslo is a health hazard for vulnerable groups. Yet, a new school and more homes are planned to be built there.

The measurements in the air quality report were made in Lohavn in Bjørvika between 2016 and 2017 and show that almost the entire area has very high values of air pollution, reports Aftenposten.

Large areas of the area are categorized as being in the red zone for particulate matter as well as in yellow and red zone for nitrogen dioxide. In red zones, people with respiratory and cardiovascular disease have an increased risk of health problems.

“Children with respiratory disorders and older people with respiratory and cardiovascular disorders are most vulnerable,” the report states.

When the city council adopted the zoning plan for Bjørvika 15 years ago, air quality requirements were set, which according to Aftenposten was a prerequisite for allowing housing and school so close to one of the country’s busiest tunnels.

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration then built four 40-metre high concrete towers to keep polluted air from the highway away from the area but there is still pollution from the tunnel.

The Roads Administration informed the Planning and Building Agency in October that they will initiate an investigation of measures in Lohavn and parts of Bjørvika. The results of the project will be released in the autumn of 2020.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today