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The report, Air pollution in Europe, analyses air pollutant emissions and their possible health and ecosystem impacts in Europe between 1990–2004.
Man-made emissions of all air pollutants fell substantially in the 32 EEA member countries the report says. This was mainly due to the effectiveness of EU policies limiting air pollution from the power/heat generation sector, industry and from road transport. However, measured concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and ozone, have not generally shown any improvement since 1997.
Particulate matter is an umbrella term for a 'basket' of potentially harmful chemical components that form particles in the air including: organic chemicals, acid aerosols, trace metals, sea salts and windborne soil dust. Because of their small size the particles are easily inhaled by humans and have a damaging effect on health.
Exposure to PM can shorten life expectancy and increase the numbers of premature deaths, hospital admissions and emergency room visits (e.g. respiratory diseases, increased risk of heart attack). Fine particulate matter, with a diameter size below 2.5 micrometer (PM2.5), is now generally recognised to be the main threat to human health from air pollution.
Ozone (O3) is formed in the ground-level atmosphere by reaction between NOX and volatile organic compounds in the presence of heat and sunlight. Ozone pollution is thus a major concern during the summer months. If inhaled by humans, ozone can be harmful to the upper respiratory tract and the lungs.
High PM and ozone levels in the air, as observed in 2003, can also partly be explained by weather conditions, the report says. Reduced precipitation, high springtime temperatures and stable atmospheric conditions (all conditions which occurred in 2003) lead to higher pollutant concentrations in the air.
Other causes of this phenomenon could include additional pollution coming from natural sources and pollution transported from countries outside Europe, the report says.
EEA report No 2/2007: Air pollution in Europe 1990–2004
For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/concentrations-of-air-pollutants-constant-despite-drop-in-emissions or scan the QR code.
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