Environmental Agency FAQ

Here you will find frequently asked questions and answers relating to the Environmental Agency.

Environmental Monitoring Agency

What does the Environmental Agency of Iceland do?

The Reykjavík Environmental Monitoring Agency promotes a healthy, safe, and unpolluted environment indoors as well as outdoors within the city limits. The Environmental Monitoring Agency issues work permits and carries out inspections of companies that are subject to supervision and licensing under the Act on Hygiene and Pollution Prevention.

Indoor air, moisture, and mold

I suspect there is mold in my house, what should I do?

The Reykjavík public health authority provides counseling on indoor air quality, moisture, and mold in buildings.

How do I maintain healthy indoor air in my dwelling?

Pollution control

Can I wash my car or repair my car at home in my garage/parking lot

It's not advisable for residents to wash cars at home, especially if cleaning agents are used. The reason is that much of the city has a dual drainage system, that is, a sewer system that transports wastewater from homes and businesses, and a stormwater system that carries rainwater and meltwater from roofs, streets, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces. The sewerage is processed through pump and treatment stations and then discharged into Faxaflói Bay. The surface water system is channeled into outlets into the nearest receptacle, which can be streams, rivers, and coastal waters. Some outlets have sedimentation tanks where pollutants can settle, but they are not feasible everywhere. Cleaning agents, soaps, tar removers, paint, and other substances that enter the surface water, such as during car washing at home, are therefore transported to the nearest receptacle, causing pollution. Residents should rather wash cars at car washes where there is equipment to remove contaminants from the runoff.

Residents are not prohibited from maintaining their vehicles within their own property, provided that neighbors are considered and the work and conduct do not cause inconvenience. All toxic waste must also be collected and delivered to a designated toxic waste collection point, such as a container terminal. Other waste must be sorted in accordance with guidelines and delivered to a reception station if there are no waste bins for that specific waste at home.