Air quality

Air quality

Air quality in Malpensa area
Atmospheric impact associated with the activities of airport systems concerns a number of main emission sources ranging from internal (airport grounds) and external vehicle traffic to emissions from the vehicles used for loading/unloading and ground assistance (handling), emissions due to the aircraft movements on the ground and their LTO (Landing Take Off) cycle.
As airport operator, SEA has no way of affecting the air carrier processes, such as the level of technological evolution of fleets and efficiency in terms of emissions, or the option to define routes and in-flight scenarios. It also cannot influence effects from external vehicular traffic closely related to the intermodality level charcterizing the local area of each airport.
To ensure effective control of air quality, the Regional Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA) of Lombardy monitors the presence of pollutants in atmosphere throughout the regional territory using 158 detection stations.
In province of Varese, air quality detection network consists of 7 fixed stations, 2 mobile stations and 4 gravimetric samplers for measuring fine dust.
The average monthly data, derived from daily values published by ARPA for Malpensa area, are derived from the 3 monitoring stations located in proximity to the airport (Ferno, Lonate Pozzolo, Somma Lombardo) and other units located in urbanized area (Busto Arsizio, Gallarate, Varese).

Monitoring areas adjacent to Malpensa - average monthly nitrogen dioxide values (NO2)

NO2
Annual limit: 40 μg/m³ annual average
FernoLonateSomma LombardoBusto ArsizioGallarateVarese
µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³
January50.154.659.148.251.772.4
February43.645.053.338.351.555.1
March35.334.346.338.345.148.0
April 24.022.133.726.130.536.6
May21.620.827.023.029.635.4
June11.021.225.718.921.628.8
July11.520.623.820.520.033.4
August9.415.915.516.216.126.9
September18.928.225.121.140.233.6
October27.028.928.024.439.430.8
November42.240.938.222.546.436.3
December58.052.551.635.459.152.3

Source: Arpa Lombardia, 2016

Nitrogen oxides in general (NOX), are produced during combustion processes due to the reaction that occurs at high temperatures between nitrogen and oxygen contained in the air. Therefore, such oxides are emitted directly into the atmosphere following all high temperature combustion processes (heating systems, vehicle motors, industrial combustion, power plants, etc.), by atmospheric ozone oxidation and, to a minor extent, by the oxidation of nitrogen compounds contained in the fuels.

Monitoring areas adjacent to Malpensa - average monthly particulate values (PM10)

PM10 Annual limit: 40 μg/m³ annual averageFernoBusto ArsizioGallarateVarese
µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³
January53555644
February31253330
March28212926
April 23192527
May14131617
June15141716
July18182219
August16151715
September26222323
October28222723
November37363931
December54486046

Source: Arpa Lombardia, 2016

Air quality in Linate area
For Linate area, we used the data of monitoring stations located in airport  proximity (Limito-Pioltello and Milan-Parco Lambro), in addition to other monitoring stations in urban areas (Milan-Città Studi, Milan-Marche, Monza, Vimercate).

Monitoring areas adjacent to Linate - average monthly nitrogen dioxide values (NO2)

NO2 Annual limit: 40 μg/m³ annual averageLimito PioltelloMi
Citta studi
MonzaVimercateMi
Parco Lambro
Mi
Marche
 µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³
January74.056.794.160.668.776.1
February54.831.575.846.141.675.0
March48.240.567.740.335.973.0
April 33.235.649.924.420.472.6
May32.435.646.233.919.575.8
June30.531.738.924.917.758.1
July28.328.833.428.929.344.9
August23.124.528.919.026.041.5
September41.344.453.229.144.061.8
October49.351.862.624.647.977.3
November58.357.675.044.257.773.9
December77.970.592.562.681.575.6

Source: Arpa Lombardia, 2016

Monitoring areas adjacent to Linate - average monthly particulate values (PM10)

PM10 Annual limit: 40 μg/m³ annual averageLimito PioltelloMi
Citta studi
MonzaVimercate
 µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³µg/m³
January63696565
February36403642
March30333132
April 28343034
May18222021
June21222220
July21232323
August18181919
September31333227
October33383030
November45514444
December65737270

Source: Arpa Lombardia, 2016

Overall, on the basis of data gathered at both areas adjacent to Milan airports over the years, it has been noted that while airports are an important source of emissions, there is no significant difference in air quality around the airport compared to other areas of the provincial territory.