Achieving most of European objectives but at the same time have thousands of premature deaths due to air quality. How on earth is that possible?

Let us start with the good news. Emissions of many air pollutants have decreased substantially over the past decades, resulting in improved air quality across the European region. Moreover, evaluating the European targets based on the European limits for air quality, it seems that we are not doing that bad.

European air quality limits vs. WHO guidelines

It’s true, based on European limit values we are not doing a very bad job. For example in recent years, “only” 31% of the European population were exposed to too high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and “only” 14% to ozone (O3). But at the same time, statistics on health impact of air quality are astonishing (e.g. 467.000 deaths per year due to outside air quality in Europe). How is that possible?

Emissions of many air pollutants have decreased substantially over the past decades, resulting in improved air quality across the European region.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) tells a very different story. The WHO guidelines are more strict than the EU regulations. These guidelines are pure health-based (and no political set standard). According to WHO, around 90% of city dwellers in the European Union are exposed to one of the most damaging air pollutants at levels deemed harmful to health. For example, up to 96% of them were exposed to fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) concentrations and up to 98% were exposed to ozone (O3). Besides this, it is not just cities, but also rural areas that have significant levels of air pollution.

Around 90% of city dwellers in EU are still exposed to one of the most damaging air pollutants at levels deemed harmful to health (WHO)

The figure below gives a nice view on the difference between both limits. The red men in the figure are those exposed to harmfull levels.

We at aircheckr clearly choose for the health-based norms, following the WHO guidelines.

As aircheckr is all about your health, we feel this is the only right choice.

About aircheckr

Air pollution causes 467.000 deaths in Europe each year. Once a silent and underestimated killer, it is now recognized as the single biggest environmental health risk. But there is hope. Scientific research has shown that reducing your exposure to air pollution is effectively helping. But how to do that? aircheckr provides detailed outside air quality information and tools needed to effectively reduce your exposure. It empowers people to actively or passively make better decisions and take actions in order to breathe better air. People are no longer defenceless. Improving the air at home/office or car, or reducing your exposure during biking or exercising is now possible. Together with its partners, aircheckr is working hard to integrate air quality information into a wide range of services, applications or devices.

You want to try aircheckr yourself? Check www.aircheckr.com or even better sign up here.