Environment

Environmental Concerns - A Way of Life

The Icelandic people have through the centuries depended on the sustainability of their natural resources. People realize that depletion or abuse of Icelandic resources will not be conducive to long-term prosperity.

Eyjafjordur is a long deep fjord, where harbour contitions are favorable, especially in the inner part of the fjord.  At the bottom of the fjord is a long deep valley, known through the centuries as one of the most prosperous agricultural areas in Iceland.   Eyjafjordur is surrounded by montain ridges which contribute to the relatively calm and mild weather, typical for the area. 

Many Icelandic businesses have developed clear environmental policies of their own, and this applies to enterprises involved in such diverse operations as energy production and tourism. Icelanders realise that in the future there will be increasing demands made with regard to protection of the environment; demands will also be forthcoming from consumers for an environmental policy by producers of goods. Icelanders are also imbued with the feeling that their environment is clean and unpolluted. They utilise this image to promote developments in food production, tourism and industry in general.

As in most Icelandic businesses, this new way of thinking has emerged in the operations of companies in northeast Iceland. Many of the companies operate on the basis of international quality standards, e.g. ISO standards and HACCP systems and have adopted a firm approach to environmental matters. They regard protection of the environment as a means of marketing.

Environmental effects and meteorological studies have been carried out in Eyjafjordur with emphases on possible air pollution from a 200.000 aluminium smelter.  These calculations show a dilution zone extending some 1 km north and south of the Dysnes site where air quality guidelines may be exeeded.