by InTrieste
Preliminary assessments of air quality in Friuli Venezia Giulia indicate that 2025 was generally a good year for the region’s environment, with most regulated pollutants remaining within legal limits, according to data released by Arpa FVG.
Annual fluctuations in pollutant levels were consistent with typical meteorological variability. Notably, fine particulate matter showed a marked improvement compared with the previous year, aided by weather conditions that facilitated greater dispersion of airborne pollutants.
Ozone
Ozone, a summer pollutant influenced by sunlight, continued to exceed the target value for lowland monitoring stations, as set by Italy’s legislative decree D.Lgs. 155/2010. The threshold allows for up to 25 exceedances per year of the maximum daily eight-hour mean of 120 micrograms per cubic meter. Monitoring results for 2025 showed a reduction in the number of these exceedances compared with 2024, though the number of instances exceeding the hourly information threshold of 180 micrograms per cubic meter increased.
Fine Particulates (PM10 and PM2.5)
For fine particulate matter, measurements indicated compliance with current legal limits. The annual average concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 remained below the respective thresholds of 40 and 25 micrograms per cubic meter, and daily exceedances of PM10 stayed well within the allowed maximum of 35 per year. Geographically, higher exceedances were recorded near the border with the Veneto region, while eastern, mountainous, and coastal areas experienced lower levels.
Benzo(a)pyrene
Levels of benzo(a)pyrene in 2025 were similar to those observed over the last four years, a period that saw the first exceedances of target values. These findings underscore the continued need for monitoring, particularly near the Veneto border and in Alpine valleys where low ventilation and wood-based heating contribute to higher concentrations.
Methodology
Arpa FVG conducted this preliminary evaluation using data from fixed monitoring stations and numerical modeling. Measurements employed certified instruments and standardized procedures within Italy’s National Environmental Protection System, verified through annual interagency comparisons. Numerical models incorporated full photochemical systems under certified quality protocols, allowing for comparability across regions and years.
