Less than a year after the European Union imposed new limits on the emission of chemical particles into the air, several cities on the continent, from Italy to the Netherlands, have concluded that they are unable to meet the requirements
Less than a year after the European Union imposed new limits on the emission of chemical particles into the air, several cities on the continent, from Italy to the Netherlands, have concluded that they are unable to meet the requirements - officials and scientists in the Union reported. A new report by the World Health Organization that was recently discussed now predicts worrying consequences following the failure: due to particle pollution, the life expectancy of every average European citizen living in an urban area will be shortened by a year.
Compared to the consistent decrease recorded in the level of most types of air pollution in Europe, there has been no change in the level of dangerous particles in the air in recent years, and in some places it has even increased. This pollution, known as PM10, is mainly related to the gases emitted by vehicles.
In the past, low levels of PM10 pollution were not attributed to a significant impact on human health, but in recent years it has become clear that it can cause a lot of damage. According to World Health Organization scientists, the infection is associated with a wide range of health complications, from infant mortality to heart attacks and lung diseases.
One of the main difficulties in limiting pollution is the growing popularity of vehicles with diesel engines in Europe. Although it is possible to install "particle traps" that will limit their emission into the air, the installation is not mandatory. "Now that we know that these small particles are really dangerous, we must prepare accordingly," said the study's editor, Dr. Roberto Bertolini, from the World Health Organization. "There is a new scientific basis and it must create a new agenda."
Last week, the European Commission discussed proposals to reduce pollution by 2020, including setting a new threshold for gas emissions from cars, and imposing an obligation to install filters for cars with a diesel engine. Barbara Helfrich, spokeswoman for the European Commission's Environmental Affairs Administration, said that "we know that 350 people die prematurely in Europe because of air quality, mainly because of the particles, now we are trying to balance the cost of implementing the new proposals with the benefit to public health."
The report stated that the health damage caused by particle pollution is particularly severe in some of the European countries where there is the widest awareness of environmental issues. "The life expectancy of the residents of Belgium and the Netherlands is also shortening, even though in both countries many efforts are being made to lower the level of air pollution," says Dr. Michael Krzysznowski, the study's coordinator, based on new data. According to the report, the mere exit of the particles in the air takes an average of 8.6 months of life from every person in the European Union. The estimate is higher in Germany (10.2 months) and Italy (9 months). Following the information, the World Health Organization is initiating a campaign to increase awareness of the damage caused by pollution.
However, the discussion of tightening the measures against air pollution has met with resistance, mainly from the car industry. Although the report was already submitted on April 1, the European Commission has so far refrained from discussing it, among other things due to pressure from the car industry lobby. "Different political and economic sectors made great efforts to silence the issue," said Bertolini.
The association of the German automobile industry, VDA, claims on the other hand that the report exaggerates when it comes to the extent of the impact of particle pollution on health. "The attempt to link diesel technology to unfounded mortality estimates is tantamount to an irresponsible peddling of emotions and anxieties." It was said in a message published by the association on the Internet.
The new focus on PM10 stems from the growing awareness of the health damage associated with it. Even relatively low levels of the infection are now statistically linked to damage to the development of the lungs in children and to an increase in the number of hospitalizations due to problems of pneumonia and shortness of breath (asthma). "The children whose health is harmed by the particles will not die, but if their lungs do not develop as required, they will have difficulty functioning in many situations," Krzysznowski said.
10 MP The level of PM10 pollution is particularly high in urban areas, due to the traffic of cars Note. The pollution contains, among other things, sulfur, nitrogen and ammonia particles, which penetrate the respiratory tract and encourage the development of health complications, especially in the lungs.
Elizabeth Rosenthal, Guardian, Walla News!
