Exposure to fine particles above EC threshold values

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Topics: Air pollution ,

Assessment made on 01 Jan 2001

Note: new version is available!

Nov 05, 2012 - Exceedance of air quality limit values in urban areas (CSI 004) - Assessment published Nov 2012
May 31, 2012 - Exceedance of air quality limit values in urban areas (CSI 004) - Assessment published May 2012
Aug 18, 2010 - Exceedance of air quality limit values in urban areas (CSI 004) - Assessment published Aug 2010
Dec 28, 2009 - Exceedance of air quality limit values in urban areas (CSI 004) - Assessment published Dec 2009
Dec 19, 2008 - Exceedance of air quality limit values in urban areas (CSI 004) - Assessment published Dec 2008
Apr 14, 2008 - Exceedance of air quality limit values in urban areas (version 1) (CSI 004) - Assessment published Apr 2008
Nov 03, 2006 - Exceedance of air quality limit values in urban areas (version 1) (CSI 004) - Assessment published Nov 2006
Nov 14, 2005 - Exceedance of air quality limit values in urban areas (version 1) (CSI 004) - Assessment published Nov 2005

Generic metadata

Classification

Air pollution (Primary theme)

DPSIR: State

Identification

Indicator codes

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Contents

Policy issue: Are Europeans less exposed to particulates?

Key messages

A large fraction of Europe's urban population is exposed to particulate levels above the limits set for protecting human health.

Figures

Exposure to fine particles above EC threshold values Exceedance days are defined as days with black smoke (BS) 24-hour average concentrations above 125 ?g/m 3 ; Total Suspended Particles (TSP) 24-hour average above 120 ?g/m 3 ; PM10 24-hour average above 50 ?g/m

Key assessment

While there are no targets set for PM10 emssions, there are limits set for exposure to suspended particles, set out in a European Directive in 1980. Unfortunately, suspended particles have not been monitored consistently over the years, while monitoring PM10 has only begun recently.

While this does emphasise the need for consistent PM10 monitoring across Europe in the future, the data collected to date does show that a large fraction of Europeï¿½s population is exposed to particulates at levels above those recommended for their health. Despite the reductions forecast for emissions of PM10 and its precursors, this is expected to remain the case in the near future.