Air Quality Status

PM₁₀  are particulate matter with a diameter of 10 µm or less. They are emitted mainly by the combustion of fuels for domestic heating, while industrial activities, agriculture and road transport are also important sources. Some come also from natural sources such as sea salt or Saharan dust and, finally, some are formed in the atmosphere from the combination of different gases.

The highest concentrations were found in Eastern Europe and Northern Italy. In most countries of Eastern Europe, solid fuels such as coal are widely used for heating households and in some industrial facilities and power plants. The Po Valley, in Northern Italy, is a densely populated and industrialized area with specific meteorological conditions that favor the accumulation of pollutants in the atmosphere.

Fig 2.PM₁₀ concentrations in relation to the EU´s daily limit value in 2019 and 2020

Figure 3. PM₁₀ concentrations in relation to the EU´s daily limit value in 2019

PM_2.5, are particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less. They are emitted mainly by the combustion of fuels for domestic heating, industrial activities, and road transport. As with PM₁₀, they can also come from natural sources and can be formed in the atmosphere.

The highest concentrations were found in Eastern Europe and Northern Italy. As for the case of PM10, the use of solid fuels is the main reason for the situation in Eastern Europe, together with an older vehicle fleet. In the case of Northern Italy, the high concentrations are due to the combination of a high density of anthropogenic emissions and meteorological conditions that favor the accumulation of pollutants in the atmosphere.

Figure 4: PM_2.5 concentrations in 2019 and 2020 – annual mean

Concentrations of PM_2.5 above the EU annual limit value were registered at 2 % of reporting stations, 90 % of which were either urban (77 %) or suburban (13 %).  Concentrations above the WHO AQG for PM_2.5 were registered (at 59 % of the stations) in all the reporting countries, except in Albania, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway and Sweden. 

 Despite the decreasing values in exposure to PM_2.5, some Member States had not yet met the exposure concentration obligation that was set under the Ambient Air Quality Directive to be attained as of 2015. 

Figure 5: PM_2.5 concentrations in 2019 – annual mean

Ozone is a pollutant formed in the atmosphere from the reaction of other gases such as nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and methane in the presence of sun light. There are also important contributions into Europe from other parts of the Northern hemisphere and from the higher layers of the atmosphere. Meteorology plays an important role in the formation and interannual variation of pollutants concentrations, and this effect is especially significant for ozone.

Figure 6. O₃ concentrations in relation to the EU´s target value in 2019 and 2020

The highest concentrations were found in Southern parts of Europe, during springtime and summer, when the meteorological conditions are very favorable for ozone formation.

The long-term objective was met in 2019 at only 12 % of monitoring stations and all the reporting countries have stations with concentrations above the long-term objective.

Figure 7. O₃ concentrations in relation to the EU´s target value in 2019

The WHO AQG was exceeded in both 2019 and 2020 at 97 % of all the reporting stations; in both years, all the reporting countries had stations with concentrations above the WHO AQG. In 2020, the long-term objective was met in 18 % of the stations, and Andorra was the only country with all its reported concentrations below the long-term objective.

The main source of Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂ ) is road transport, which emits air pollutants close to the ground and mostly in densely populated areas, contributing to high population exposure. Other important sources are combustion processes in industry, energy supply and agriculture.

The highest concentrations were found across Europe in big cities with a lot of traffic. The impact of the lockdown measures is more clearly seen for this pollutant, as its main source, road transport, was also one of the most reduced activities.

Figure 8: NO₂ concentrations in 2019 and 2020 – annual mean

Concentrations of NO2 above the EU annual limit value were registered at 6 % of all the reporting stations (87 % of which were traffic stations). 

Figure 9: NO₂ concentrations in 2019 – annual mean

Concentrations of Nitrogen dioxide above the annual limit value (and the WHO AQG) were registered at 1 % of the reporting stations (89 % of which were traffic stations).

Benzo[a]pyrene(BaP) is a carcinogenic pollutant emitted mainly from the domestic combustion of coal and wood and to a lesser extent from the combustion of agricultural waste.

The highest concentrations were found in Eastern Europe, where the use of coal and other solid fuels for residential heating is more widespread.

Figure 10: BaP concentrations in 2019 – annual mean

Figure 11: BaP concentrations in 2019 – annual mean

Values above 1.0 ng/m3 were registered at 27 % of the reported stations, 94 % of which were urban (77 %) or suburban (17 %).