Today residents of the IJmond region will be measuring air quality at the Tata Steel factory site. In Hollandse Luchten, residents investigate air quality using citizen science sensors with support from Waag Futurelab and partners. The members of the measurement group in IJmond had wanted for years to install a number of Hollandse Luchten sensors on the Tata Steel site to expand the citizen measurement network. The sensor is the first of four sensors to be installed on the Tata Steel factory site.
In Hollandse Luchten, residents measure air quality with citizen science sensors and learn to interpret the data. In commission of the province of North Holland, Waag Futurelab, RIVM, TNO and GGD Amsterdam are working together with residents to investigate air quality. Residents shape the research themselves: they formulate research questions and determine where the sensors are installed. During data analysis meetings, residents, experts and local government discuss the insights gained from the data and thus work together to create a healthy living environment.
Installing sensors
In early 2025, members of Hollandse Luchten were invited by Tata Steel for a tour on the site that also showed some of Tata Steel's measuring equipment. This visit was an opportunity for members to ask questions to Tata Steel experts and discuss the measurements taken by the company itself. Based on that discussion, the members of the IJmond Tata Steel measurement group offered four sensors with the request to install them. Residents are keen to know, among other things, how particulate matter spreads at Tata Steel and in the surrounding area.
Gerard, an active member of the IJmond measurement group, explains: "We offered four sensors. It is a nice gesture from Tata that we can install the sensors and now measure pollution. The first sensor is currently being installed. For the other three sensors, the safety requirements on the site are still being carefully considered."
Citizen science: starting point for discussion
The four sensors represent an important step forward for Hollandse Luchten. The measurement group had long wanted to take measurements on the factory site in order to create a comprehensive measurement network. Thanks to the collaboration in Hollandse Luchten, this has now been achieved. In addition to the measurements taken by knowledge institutions, the government and Tata Steel itself, citizen science data is now also openly accessible. The citizen science data helps residents gain insight into local air quality and into the discussion with companies, government and knowledge institutions.
"This is a unique step for Hollandse Luchten and citizen science. It is still rare for residents to take measurements on factory premises themselves. Residents in the IJmond region have been taking measurements since 2018. In order to achieve a comprehensive monitoring network, they also wanted to take measurements on the Tata Steel site. Among other things, they want to use the measurements to gain more knowledge about the spread of particulate matter in the area. Ultimately, the aim is to give residents a stronger position in the discussion about their living environment." - Imme Ruarus, citizen science expert at Waag Futurelab
Next year, Waag will once again facilitate the data analysis meetings together with partners. During these meetings, residents, experts and local politicians will discuss the data and measurement questions. We hope that Tata Steel will also join these meetings to discuss the insights gained from the data and the living environment. The sensor measurements can be viewed together with the other sensor data on the Hollandse Luchten map (it can take 24 hours before the data shows after installing the sensors).
Would you like to participate in Hollandse Luchten? Sign up for the measurement group in your neighbourhood.
Over Waag Futurelab
Waag doet al 30 jaar onderzoek naar de rol van technologie in de samenleving. Doordat sensortechnologie steeds toegankelijker wordt voor gebruikers, kunnen bewoners steeds beter hun leefomgeving meten. Waag zet zich in voor de verdere ontwikkeling van citizen sensing, waarbij bewoners met open source tools hun leefomgeving meten en interpreteren. De data geeſt bewoners een sterkere positie in het gesprek met overheden, kennisinstellingen en bedrijven over een gezonde leefomgeving.
