Air quality in Helsinki and the metropolitan area was better as a whole during 2008 than in previous years.
For the most part, the measurements indicated good or satisfactory levels of air quality.
The indicators were generally put into the "Fair" or "Poor" zones during the spring, as a result of the dust kicked up from the streets after winter gritting.
In 2008 this phase went on for a relatively long time, and there were significant quantities of dust particles in the air in the first week of April.
Exhaust gases from traffic also seriously weakened air quality at times during the year.
Concentrations were high for example on some days in October in the centre of the capital, when climatic conditions - no wind to speak of - prevented the airborne pollutants from being dispersed.
The information on 2008 comes from a recent annual report on air quality published by YTV, the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council.
