Neckart air filter columns are being taken apart.
In the heart of Stuttgart, the city once notorious for having the dirtiest intersection in Germany, the Neckartor, a significant change is underway. The air purifier towers, a symbol of the city's battle against air pollution, are being dismantled, marking a significant milestone in Stuttgart's clean air journey.
The towers, a joint project by the state of Baden-Württemberg, the city of Stuttgart, and MANN+HUMMEL, were installed at the end of 2018 as part of a pilot project. Since then, the concentrations of fine dust PM and nitrogen dioxide at Neckartor have decreased, thanks to these air purifier columns.
Initially, the use of air purifier columns was necessary due to the city's inability to meet nitrogen dioxide limit values, despite extensive air cleaning measures. The towers were designed to reduce these pollutants, and according to a scientific accompanying study, they achieved an average reduction performance of around nine to ten percent in the area of the sidewalk and even more near the buildings.
Winfried Hermann, Minister of Transport, expressed his satisfaction, stating that it's good news that air purification in Stuttgart is no longer necessary for people to breathe freely. This sentiment was echoed as the filters were finally switched off in autumn 2024, as the air quality continued to improve.
The operation of the air purifier columns at Neckartor was, however, very costly due to significant power requirements. The pilot project and operation cost the state over two million euros. Despite this, MANN+HUMMEL, the project partner and technology developer, is proud to have contributed to cleaner air in Stuttgart with their air purification solutions since 2018.
The dismantling of the air purifier towers relieves household budgets and the effect was always limited to the short street section. It does not diminish the importance of other measures in the Stuttgart Air Cleaning Plan, such as the strong expansion of the environmental network and the traffic bans for older diesel vehicles, which reduce the air pollutant load in the whole city and protect the health of the entire population.
The Europe-wide binding NO limit values of 40 micrograms per cubic meter of air have been met in the annual average at Neckartor in Stuttgart since 2020. This achievement is a testament to the comprehensive measures including eco-friendly transportation, traffic restrictions, and air purification systems that were implemented to meet the 2020 limit values for air pollution.
As the towers come down, questions about the responsible authority for supervising the removal of the air purifier towers at the Neckartor location in Stuttgart remain unanswered. For further information, the Ministry of Transport can be contacted via their Press Office or Citizen's Representative.
As Stuttgart moves forward, the dismantling of the air purifier towers serves as a reminder of the city's past struggles with air pollution and a beacon of hope for a cleaner, healthier future.
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