DustSense – Smart Dust Monitoring in Industrial Areas

Dust reduces air quality and can cause both health and environmental problems. Long-term exposure to particles is particularly harmful to human health. In nature, dust can contaminate water bodies and soil. Dust also poses challenges for machinery and equipment. Identifying and managing dust is therefore key to preventing the problems it causes.

The DustSense project aims to improve dust monitoring in industrial areas by developing smart monitoring solutions based on sensor networks and IoT technologies. The project focuses on mapping dust emissions in the Kokkola Industrial Park (KIP) and providing operators in the area with diverse monitoring solutions that enable real-time and continuous detection and tracking of dust levels. In practice, this includes targeted measurements tailored to the specific needs of companies, as well as comprehensive dust monitoring across the entire industrial area. Area-wide monitoring requires a network of static measurement points and the collection of localized weather data. Innovative solutions such as mobile dust collectors can also be piloted to map dust across the industrial zone. As a result, companies will gain access to modern, smart solutions tailored to their specific dust monitoring needs, enabling effective measures to manage and reduce dust emissions.

Key objectives of the project:

• Identify factors and needs related to dust emissions in the KIP industrial area

• Implement a comprehensive network of fixed dust monitoring stations and pilot mobile measurement solutions

• Develop company-specific monitoring systems that alert when concentrations rise

• Enable companies to use their own dust data to support decision-making

• Enhance the image of the industrial area and strengthen relations between companies and communities by supporting active responsibility for dust issues

• Raise awareness of digital solutions for dust monitoring

The project is co-funded by the European Union.