Air pollution from particulate matter caused the deaths of 253,000 people in the European Union in 2021, according to a report published on Friday by the European Environment Agency (EEA).
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“At least 253,000 deaths in the EU in 2021 are due to exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) above the WHO (World Health Organization) recommended concentration of 5 μg/m3,” the AEE states in its press release.
This number has increased compared to 2020, when particulate matter penetrating deep into the lungs caused the premature deaths of 238,000 people.
According to the EEA, the increase observed between the two years is explained by increased pollution and a slight increase in European mortality, mainly due to Covid-19.
In the longer term, however, the trend remains largely positive, as the number of premature deaths from particulate matter fell by 41% between 2005 and 2021, the study highlights.
Despite the “great progress” made in recent years, “the impact of air pollution on our health remains too high,” the EEA’s executive director, Leena Ylä-Mononen, is quoted as saying in the press release.
By pollutant category, mortality attributable to PM2.5 is “slightly increasing” compared to 2020.
At the same time, around 52,000 premature deaths are due to exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a gas mainly produced by vehicles and thermal power plants, representing a “slight increase” compared to 2020, according to the EEA.
Ozone particles (O3), particularly from road traffic and industrial activities, account for 22,000 premature deaths, a “slight decrease” compared to 2020.
The agency does not add the balance sheets because, in its opinion, this would lead to double counting.
Air pollution remains the biggest environmental threat to the health of Europeans, she emphasizes.