The Environment Agency of Iceland

The Environment Agency of Iceland

The Environment Agency operates under the direction of the Ministry for the Environment. It's role is to promote the protection as well as sustainable use of Iceland’s natural resources, as well as public welfare by helping to ensure a healthy environment, and safe consumer goods.

Areas of operation:

  • Information and advice for the public, businesses and regulatory authorities
  • Monitoring of environmental quality
  • Evaluation of environmental impact assessment and development plans
  • Operation supervision, inspection, operating permits, etc.
  • Conservation: the management and supervision of designated protected areas
  • Assessment of conservation effects and registration of unique nature sites
  • Risk analysis
  • Wildlife management
  • Collaboration in Scandinavian, other European and international agreements/projects
  • Eco-labelling
  • Protection of domestic animals
  • Wildlife conservation
  • Labelling and handling of toxic as well as other hazardous substances
  • Health and safety in public places
  • Coordination of local health inspectorates
  • Genetically modified foods (GMF).

Further Information

 


Whats The Environment Agency of Iceland in...

  • Icelandic: Umhverfisstofnun
  • German: Isländische Umweltagentur
  • French: Agence islandaise pour l'environnement
  • Spanish: Agencia Islandesa de Medio Ambiente
  • Swedish: Isländska miljöbyrån
  • Italian: Agenzia Islandese per l'Ambiente

Departments of the Environment Agency of Iceland

 

  • Department for Environmental Quality
  • Department for Information and Communications
  • Department for Legal and Administrative Affairs
  • Department for Natural Resources

Due to an oceanic climate and steady winds the outdoor air quality in Iceland is generally quite good. Local emission of air pollution is mainly due to road traffic and fishing boats. Iceland is also exposed to transboundary air pollution originating mainly from Europe and North America.

Air quality monitoring

Air quality has been monitored in Reykjavik since 1985 when the Environment and Food Agency of Iceland (EFA) started a measuring station at Miklatorg where airborne dust & heavy metals were measured. The city of Reykjavik Environmental Health and Protection Office (EHPO) initiated another monitoring station at Grensas in 1990, where NO2, CO, O3, SO2, ozone, benzene and dust (PM2,5 & PM10) have been measured. For many years the Grensas station was located for 3 months per year at various sites for special projects, usually 2 - 4 weeks at each location, e.g. at traffic hot spots, kindergartens and different suburban locations. Today the Grensas station serves as the main urban traffic station in Reykjavik due to a contract between EFA and EHPO in 2002 from which time monitoring at Miklatorg was discontinued in 2002.

EFA has also measured background ozone at Keldnaholt in suburban Reykjavik as well as airborne dust in Akranes and Alvidra, both within 50 km from Reykjavik. An urban background station has been running from autumn 2002, in Laugardalur. In addition a portable station is available since 2002, giving data for various locations in the city. Lake Myvatn station in North Iceland was set up in the yar 2000.

Table: Air quality monitoring in Iceland

Place

Type of station

Measured components

Operation period

Miklatorg, Reykjavik

Urban traffic

Heavy metals, PM10, PM2,5

1986 - June 2002

Grensas, Reykjavik

Urban traffic

CO, NOx O3, SO2, PM2.5, PM10, BTX, CH4, THC

1990 -

Portable, Reykjavik

Variable urban

NOx, PM10

2002 -

Keldnaholt, Reykjavik

Urban background

NOx, O3

1999 -

Laugardalur, Reykjavik

Urban background

NOx, O3, PM2.5, PM10

2002 -

Akranes, West Iceland

Rural background

PM10, NOx

1999 - 2001

Alvidra, South Iceland

Rural background

PM10, NOx

1999 - 2001

Lake Myvatn, N-Iceland

Rural background

PM10

2000 -

Grundartangi

Industrial

Fluoride, PM10, SO2

1999 -

Hvaleyrarholt

Industrial

Fluoride, PM10, SO2

1994 -

Siglufjordur

Industrial

SO2

2002 -

Reports in English:

Iceland's National Programme of Action

For the protection of the marine environment from land-based activities

In 1995, 114 states, including Iceland, approved the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment. The agreement was an important stepping stone in the fight against marine pollution, which stems largely (80%) from land-based activities.

The Ministry for the Environment consigned The Environmental and Food Agency of Iceland to prepare a National Programme of Action (NPA) for Iceland. The report has been adopted by the Icelandic Government.

The structure of the NPA and its approach to the issue follows that of the GPA but with special reference to Icelandic conditions and policy of Icelandic authorities.

The report can be obtained by contacting the Evironmental Agency of Iceland.

The ministry for the environment issued in 2006 a report on the implementation of the National Programme of Actions.

Links: 

Pollution emergency response

SPILL NOTIFICATION POINT

The Icelandic Coast Guard
Operations Centre

 

  • Tel: (+354) 545 2100 (open 24/7)
  • Fax: (+354) 545 2001
  • Web site: www.lhg.is
  • e-mail: sar@lhg.is
  • Skógarhlíð 14
  • 105 Reykjavik, Iceland

 

 

 

 

 

COMPETENT NATIONAL AUTHORITY

The Environmental Agency of Iceland

  • Suðurlandsbraut 24, 108 Reykjavik, Iceland
  • Tel: (+354) 591 2000 (office hours)
  • Mobile: (+354) 822 4003
  • Fax: (+354) 591 2010