Health impacts of air pollution

The health impacts of air pollution strongly decreased between 2005 and 2022 in Belgium (by 55.6%). This was due to the global improvement of air quality (especially concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM_2.5); see) and therefore to the reduction in inhabitants’ exposure to air pollution.

The reduction in PM_2.5 concentrations in the air is due to measures to decrease direct emissions of particulate matter and emissions of precursors of secondary particles (e.g. nitrogen oxides (NO_x) or ammonia (NH₃)). PM_2.5 emissions are mainly due to building heating, transport, waste treatment and industrial processes.

Despite ongoing improvement, air quality in Belgium continues to give cause for concern, particularly in comparison with the 2021 World Health Organization annual guideline level. However, maintaining the current trend will enable Belgium to meet (and probably exceed) the EU zero pollution action plan target for 2030. Plans have been put in place to achieve this, including plans for the greening of the vehicle fleet, a transport modal shift and reduction in mobility needs, the insulation of buildings, a heating vector shift, industrial flue gas treatment and decreasing NH₃ emissions from agriculture.