Air quality in Europe still falls short of WHO recommendations, with three main polluters — fine particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen-dioxide — causing hundreds of thousands of premature deaths in the EU in 2021 alone, according to a report published on Friday by the European Environment Agency.

Air pollution is "still the number one environmental health problem in the EU," European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevicius said, commenting on the report.

The report found that 253,000 deaths could be attributed to fine particulate matter, small particles mostly created by gas-powered cars or coal-operated power plants. The particles are able to enter the respiratory tract and exacerbate the risk of lung disease. They also increase the threat of heart disease, strokes, and diabetes.

Fine particulate matter claimed the most lives in Poland (47,300), Italy (46,800), and Germany (32,300).

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https://www.dw.com/en/eu-air-pollution-killed-hundreds-of-thousands-in-2021/a-67549612