Levels of pollution in the industrial area east of the Reykjanesbraut highway at Straumsvík, just outside of Hafnarfjörður, a neighboring town of Reykjavík, are equal to that in highly polluted areas Eastern Europe, ruv.is reports.
The smelter in Straumsvík. Photo copyright Icelandic Photo Agency.
The least pollution in the country is in the West Fjords and Northwest Iceland, according to research conducted by Sigurður H. Magnússon at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History for the aluminum smelters in Straumsvík, Reyðarfjörður and Grundartangi.
Heavy metals and sulfur have been measured in the moss around the Straumsvík smelter every five years since 1990. According to Sigurður, there are few places where you can find such high levels of pollution, only in a few Eastern European countries.
Sigurður presented his research to the Hafnarfjörður and Kópavogur health committee at a meeting yesterday.
ZR
