During the winter half-year, days with excessive particles in the air occur near major roads in Visby, particularly in dry weather from February to April due to road dust from anti-skid measures and studded tire use. Region Gotland has an action program to improve air quality and has been measuring air particles at Österväg for several years. The measurements show that the environmental quality norm for air particles has been exceeded in some years, but in 2025, there was a clear improvement when dust binding began to be used.
The EU has developed a new directive that changes limit values for air particles, reducing allowed exceedance days from 35 to 18 per year by 2030. To comply, a combination of measures is needed, including anti-skid measures, cleaning, and dust binding, carried out by Region Gotland and Trafikverket. Anti-skid measures use crushed granite instead of limestone to reduce dust, and spring cleaning is done early with extra sweeping and moistening to prevent dusting.
Air pollution affects people's health and the purpose of the new limit values is to improve air quality throughout Europe. The new rules mean that more cities in Sweden will need to work to prevent air particles as we already do on Gotland.
Dust binding with calcium chloride solution is used as needed on heavily trafficked roads, and measurements show it improves air quality. Jonatan Levin, head of the environmental unit at Region Gotland, stated, 'Air pollution affects people's health and the purpose of the new limit values is to improve air quality throughout Europe. ' Simon Hoffman, operations developer at the park and traffic department, said, 'Currently, dust binding is a necessity to meet the limit value for air particles near the most heavily trafficked streets in Visby.
Dust binding is only used on the days when it is needed and involves a relatively small amount of calcium chloride for a significant improvement in air quality.
Currently, dust binding is a necessity to meet the limit value for air particles near the most heavily trafficked streets in Visby. Dust binding is only used on the days when it is needed and involves a relatively small amount of calcium chloride for a significant improvement in air quality. During 2026, dust binding has been performed on four occasions so far.