Dust complaints in Donawitz prompt cleanup measures

Residents of Donawitz, a district of Leoben, have complained about coarse, dark dust, prompting calls for street cleaning and action by voestalpine, ORF Steiermark reports.

A report commissioned by the provincial government found no breaches of limits for fine dust or heavy metals. It said the stricter limits due to apply from 2030 were already being met, and found no health risk to residents.

However, the report found repeated exceedances involving coarse dust particles, including recently. Measurements at three stations near voestalpine showed a significant increase, with record dust levels recorded between March and July 2026.

The report attributed the dust to several factors: extreme summer dryness, heavy traffic stirring up dust and the dumping of material. It recommended using wet-sweeping machines on Donawitz’s roads. Voestalpine must also take measures and identify the dust source.

Leoben district governor Markus Kraxner said the aim was to ensure all limits were met in future. The district authority was in “constructive dialogue” with voestalpine.