It's time again to gather around an Easter bonfire and welcome spring. But there are apparently also negative consequences of this tradition. The culprit? Besides smoke and soot particles, certainly the fine dust produced by burning - and its effects on the environment and health.
In many German regions, the Easter bonfire is an Easter tradition that many people do not want to do without. In the meantime, however, the knowledge has become more widespread that this use actually harms the environment. Because where there is smoke, there is fire - and where there is fire, there is bound to be air pollution. The main focus here is on the fine dust produced in large quantities by burning wood. Since it is precisely this that poses a considerable danger to the environment and human health.
Although Easter bonfires are burned under certain conditions in order to limit damage, the Federal Environment Agency notes an increase in particulate matter pollution every year during Easter celebrations, which often leads to limit values being exceeded. Depending on the weather conditions, which can promote the spread of the pollutants, this underestimated source of fine dust can in fact continue to pollute the air severely for days after ignition. According to the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND), a large fire with garden waste produces about "as much smoke and soot particles as fine dust within six hours as 250 older buses in one day". This is a level of pollution that can affect the health of many, primarily because it can damage the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, for example.
There is therefore no doubt that the amount of particulate matter produced by Easter bonfires is a risk that should be avoided as far as possible in the interests of protecting health and the environment. In order to have as little negative impact as possible on air quality, environmental and health experts recommend, for example, that only wood that is completely dried should be burned for an Easter bonfire. Plastic or metal parts should not be on the woodpile. It remains unlikely, however, that cities and politicians will want to put an end to this tradition. A ban on Easter bonfires is not currently under discussion.
Do you still want to keep an overview of the air quality in your neighbourhood? Then download the Green-Zones app and find out more about air values and active environmental zones!