Brussels, 30/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - Even though air pollution in China is still making news, the level of air pollution to which Europeans are exposed in urban areas, also still constitutes the main environmental health risk, according to a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) published on Monday 30 November.
This report on air pollution in Europe was intentionally published on the day of the COP 21 opening in Paris. It highlights the fact that the majority of European citizens are still exposed to levels of particulate matter (PM), tropospheric ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), levels that are deemed harmful by the World Health Organisation (WHO) because they are responsible for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as cancer.
EEA Executive Director, Hans Bruyninckx explained in a press release that “despite consistent improvements observed over the past few decades, air pollution continues to affect the general health of Europeans, reducing their quality-of-life and life expectancy”. He also highlighted the “considerable economic impact” of this scourge in terms of health and reduced productivity.
This 2015 report is based on 2013 data on the urban population and indicates that during that year: 87% of people were exposed to concentrations of PM2, 5 that were above the limits set out by the WHO to protect human health. European standards are less stringent and only 9% of people were exposed to PM2, 5 levels above the EU threshold; 98% were exposed to concentrations of ozone that were above the WHO recommended limit and around 15% were exposed to concentrations that were above the European level; -13.9% were exposed to nitrogen dioxide concentrations that were above WHO standards and EU standards; 93% of these excessive levels were recorded near roads; - a quarter were exposed to Benzo (a) pyrene (BaP) (an organic carcinogen pollutant produced by burning wood) above the target limits and up to 91% were exposed to concentrations that were above the estimated reference level based on WHO risk figures.
Chronic exposure to fine PM PM2, 5 particles are the most dangerous because they can penetrate lungs very deeply and caused 432,000 premature deaths in Europe in 2012. This figure is based on the European Commission's “Pure Air in Europe” legislative package (see EUROPE 11420). Exposure to nitrogen dioxide is responsible for around 75,000 premature deaths and exposure to ozone is estimated to be responsible for 17,000 premature deaths. The report also provides estimates on premature death rates per country.
The report also illustrates the eutrophication caused by ammonia (NH3) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), as well as the damages to plants caused by ozone, which exist on a very wide scale throughout Europe. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)