The purpose of our investigation is to study the difference between the air pollution that the ferry crossings currently cause, and the air pollution that will result from the link. This study can also be used to compare differences in the air pollution from a tunnel or a bridge.

Air pollution during construction
Working with construction machines and transport of materials by truck will cause air pollution during the construction phase. Sources of pollution will primarily include disturbed dust from the moving of earth and gravel and exhaust gases from trucks, construction machines and various construction vessels on the water.

Dust can be reduced by watering the roads during dry periods and by covering stocks of dust-producing materials. By planning the transport of materials carefully so that empty goods vehicles are not being driven around and materials are not transported over unnecessarily long distances, exhaust gases from trucks and ships can be considerably reduced.

From petrol and diesel to electrically driven means of transport
This study will examine pollution from petrol or diesel driven goods vehicles, diesel trains and ferries that affect the local environment.  It will also include pollution from electrically driven trains, goods vehicles and cars which may in the future be expected to account for a greater share of traffic than today. Electrically driven means of transport transfer pollution to a regional and global level, because the air quality at the power station is affected rather than the air quality around the fixed link. This impact will presumably be reduced in the future. This will be due to electricity production probably being based more on wind energy and the introduction of a range

As part of the environmental assessments, we will ascertain whether the global climate will be affected by the fixed link. We will study whether a tunnel will affect the climate more or less than a bridge. We will also determine whether the effects of a fixed link are different to those currently exerted by ferries. (photo: Femern A/S)

of European norms ─ Euronorms ─ which set limits for the emissions of new cars.

Impact on climate
Studies of the construction and operating phases will be included in the assessment of how the project affects the climate due to greenhouse gas emissions from a bridge, tunnel or ferries. The construction phase assessment will include, among other things, transport, consumption of combustible fuels for machines and the most commonly used building materials, such as steel and concrete.