According to the EU Environment Agency (EMA), bad air remains the biggest health risk caused by environmental conditions. Around 253,000 deaths in the EU in 2021 could be linked to this. The clinical picture is broad.
The Environment Agency speaks of particulate matter levels above the recommended limits of the World Health Organization (WHO), the EEA announced on Friday at the EU Clean Air Forum in Rotterdam.
“The impact of air pollution on our health is still too great,” says EMA director Leena Ylä-Mononen. It is estimated that particulate matter causes the greatest health burden due to heart disease, followed by stroke, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and asthma.
The WHO has lowered the limit values
The WHO had lowered the recommended limits for PM2.5 particulate matter in 2021 – for average annual pollution from 10 to 5 micrograms (thousandths of a gram) per cubic meter of air.
According to the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), particulate matter consists of a mixture of solid and liquid particles and is produced during the operation of cars, heating systems in residential buildings or in industry, for example in metal and steel production. Agriculture also releases particulate matter, such as ammonia emissions from livestock farming.
Health risks in the air
In addition to particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ground-level ozone in the air remain a problem: according to the EEA analysis, 52,000 deaths in the EU can be attributed to increased nitrogen dioxide pollution and 22,000 to ozone pollution.
The EU’s goal is to reduce the number of deaths from particulate matter pollution by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 2005. According to the EEA, the number of deaths has already fallen by 41 percent between 2005 and 2021.
EMA experts called for compliance with WHO-recommended guidelines to prevent deaths. Action is needed at EU level, but also at national and local level. In cities, for example, it is about reorganizing traffic to protect people from air pollution.
Self-service via app
EU citizens can use the ‘European Air Quality Index’ app to find out what the air quality in their area is like and how they can deal with it. For example, they could decide whether it is a good time to exercise outdoors, EEA experts say. The app can also help compare countries or regions and draw attention to problems with bad air.
Source: Krone
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