Air in Danish classrooms unsafe

Study reveals up to four times too much CO2 in some classrooms

Since the school reforms were introduced in August 2014, students and teachers in Denmark spend more time in classrooms than ever.

Unfortunately, a study from DTU has revealed that the environment in many classrooms leaves much to be desired.

In up to 60 percent of the classrooms the concentration of CO2 was higher than established limits. Concentrations were especially bad in the many Danish schools without a mechanical ventilation system. In some places, CO2 concentrations were nearly 80 percent above what is allowed.

Can’t breathe, can’t think
The indoor environment is important because children’s learning and concentration abilities drop when exposed to bad air.

“If you do only one thing to create a better indoor environment for children, it should be recirculating the air,” Jørn Toftum, an associate professor of indoor environment at DTU who helped conduct the study, told DR Nyheder.

“About 40 percent of schools have no mechanical ventilation – we found CO2 concentrations as high as 4,000 ppm in some of those places,” said Toftum.

READ MORE: Danish classrooms getting more and more crammed

The recommended exposure limit is 1,000 ppm.




Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.


  • “It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

    “It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

    Describing herself as a “DEI poster child,” being queer, neurodivergent and an international in Denmark didn’t stop Laurence Paquette from climbing the infamous corporate ladder to become Marketing Vice President (VP) at Vestas. Arrived in 2006 from Quebec, Laurence Paquette unpacks the implications of exposing your true self at work, in a country that lets little leeway for individuality

  • Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

    Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

    Agreement between unions and employers allows more foreign workers in Denmark under lower salary requirements, with new ID card rules and oversight to prevent social dumping and ensure fair conditions.

  • New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

    New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

    Kadre Darman was founded this year to support foreign-trained healthcare professionals facing challenges with difficult authorisation processes, visa procedures, and language barriers, aiming to help them find jobs and contribute to Denmark’s healthcare system