Brussels, 26/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - According to a new European Environment Agency (EEA) report published on Tuesday 25 November, air pollution, mainly from industrial plants, cost society between €59 billion and €189 billion. The EEA highlights the fact that €189 billion is roughly the same as the GNP of Finland or half that of Poland.
The Cost of air pollution from European industrial facilities - an updated assessment evaluates the negative impact of air pollution, such as the premature deaths it causes, costs of hospitalisation and absenteeism from work over the 2008-2012 period.
Over the whole period, the estimated cost of this pollution is between a minimum of €329 billion and possibly €1,053 billion. Out of the 30 industrial plants that have been identified as causing the most damage 26 of them are mainly coal or lignite power plants, most of which are based in Germany and Eastern European countries. (AN)