Air quality in Reykjavík

Illustration of a tree in the fall.

Clean air is vital for good health and well-being. The health effects of polluted air are increasingly clear, with certain groups more vulnerable. These include children and people with asthma, lung, heart, or vascular diseases.

Air quality monitoring stations

Check air quality at Environment Agency stations on Grensásvegur and in Reykjavík Family Park & Zoo, and two Reykjavík Public Health stations at loftgæði.is. The Public Health Authority has mobile stations at Bústaðavegur/Háaleitisbraut intersection and by Vesturbæjarlaug pool. The Public Health Authority monitors results and issues notices as needed.

General air quality information

Reykjavík City has monitored air quality since 1990. Five stations are in the city: two fixed Environment Agency stations at Miklabraut/Grensásvegur intersection and Reykjavík Family Park & Zoo, two mobile Public Health Authority stations, and two ON Power stations in Norðlingaholt and Lambhagi. Mobile stations move between areas of interest. Measured pollutants vary by station. Click each station to view what's measured. 

Three regulations govern air pollution in Iceland. These set desirable limits for pollution levels. The regulations are based on European Union directives. They aim to ensure good air quality for the public.

The public can view Reykjavík measurements at loftgæði.is.

Benchmarks & Health Protection Limits

Air quality in Reykjavík is generally good, but nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10) are the most likely to exceed health protection limits. Other air pollutants measured in the city, such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and benzene (C6H6), usually measure well below benchmark levels in Reykjavík.

Learn more about reference and health protection limits

Air Quality Response Plan

A response team in Reykjavík issues alerts when air quality may exceed health limits and decides on countermeasures. Reykjavík’s Public Health Committee approved an air quality response plan in March 2009 in accordance with Regulation No. 787/1999 on air quality, the first among municipalities in Iceland. The plan covers short-term actions to prevent exceeding health limits for various pollution sources. It addresses major air pollutants from known sources and possible actions. The plan was last updated in 2020.

A response team assesses whether to issue public warnings about air quality likely to exceed or already exceeding health limits, and forecasts air quality. The team also decides on countermeasures. The team includes members from Reykjavík Public Health, Office of Transportation and Urban Design, and the Office of City Land Operations and Maintenance. The team also has a representative from the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration.

Reykjavík Public Health

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