In Luxembourg, air pollution still kills
Ozone, fine particles, nitrogen dioxide: these pollutants are among those that kill the most in Europe. Nearly 400,000 people die prematurely each year on the continent. This even makes air pollution the number one environmental health risk.
The European Environment Agency (EEA), which
published on April 1 the report for the year 2020
in this regard, notes, due to the successive confinements due to the pandemic that year, an improvement – in fact temporary. But, even in these circumstances, the thresholds set by the EU are often crossed across Europe. Above all, the new thresholds of the World Health Organization (WHO), more demanding, but also more representative of the real impact of these pollutants on human health, are still exceeded.
And Luxembourgers are not spared. Whether at the level of fine particles (PM2.5), ozone (O3) or nitrogen dioxide (NO2), pollution levels exceed WHO thresholds.
Very harmful fine particles
Among these pollutants, fine particles PM2.5 are by far the deadliest. In Europe, they corrected 307,000 premature deaths in 2019,
according to EEA calculations
against 40,400 NO contributions2 and 16,800 to ozone. In Luxembourg, the proportions are similar: 200 premature deaths due to PM2.520 due to NO2 and 10 ozone rights.
PM2.5 are emitted mainly by the combustion of fuel to power domestic heating, industrial activities and road transport, and they are particularly harmful because they penetrate deeply into the body. However, in 2020, 96% of the urban population in Europe was exposed to levels higher than those defined by the WHO, and therefore harmful to health, according to the EEA report.
The most affected regions in Europe are northern Italy and parts of Eastern Europe. But Luxembourg, if it respects the thresholds of 25µg/m3 set by EU, exceedance, with concentration levels set between 7 and 8µg/m3 in 2020, those of the WHO (5µg/m3) in all the capture stations.
High NO 2 values
Regarding nitrogen dioxide (NO2), the main source of emissions is road transport. The highest concentrations are found in large, dense cities with a high volume of road traffic.
89% of the European population is exposed to concentration levels higher than those of the WHO, and therefore harmful to human health. In 2020, seven EU member countries exceeded EU limits (40µg/m3). But all exceeded those of the WHO (10µg/m3), including Luxembourg, which is fourth in the ranking of countries where the annual average values of NO2 are the highest (it stands at 20µg/m3 in the country).
Among the most ozone emitters
Regarding ozone (O3), it forms in the atmosphere when heat and light cause a chemical reaction between nitrogen oxide, including NO2, and volatile organic compounds such as methane. The weather therefore plays an important role in the concentrations measured.
In Europe, 95% of the population is exposed to ozone concentrations that are dangerous to health, as they exceed WHO limit values. The highest concentrations in 2020 were differentiated in Central Europe and in certain Mediterranean countries. 21 EU countries regularly cross the EU thresholds (120µg/m3), but all met the WHO limit values (100µg/m3). Luxembourg is one of the three countries with the highest average ozone concentrations in the EU, reaching an average of 120µg/m3.
Other pollutants are analyzed in the EEA report, such as particulate matter PM10, whose exposure levels caused too much 71% of the European population. 66% of the European population is also exposed to high concentrations of benzopyrene, a carcinogenic pollutant resulting in particular from emissions from wood or coal heating.
Undemanding or non-binding thresholds
The problem is that currently, most European countries comply with EU regulations, which are not very restrictive and are now partly obsolete. The pollution thresholds set by the WHO, which are much more demanding because they take into account the latest scientific knowledge, are not legally binding for States.
The Luxembourg government, with a national air quality plan, is therefore focusing its efforts on reducing nitrogen dioxide because its NO emissions2 punctually finds the EU limit values. By neglecting the PM2.5yet much more harmful, but whose concentrations are well below EU thresholds.
But this should be thought about. The European Commission, in its “zero pollution action plan” resulting from the Green deal, wants to reduce by at least 55% the number of premature deaths linked to fine particles PM2.5 by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. At the same time, it launched a revision of the air quality guidelines with the aim of aligning its thresholds with those of the WHO, or at least bringing them closer. Member States, including Luxembourg, would therefore be well advised to redouble their efforts now. To avoid falling below future more demanding thresholds. But also, in a more humane way, to simply protect their population from the harmful effects of pollutants.
This article was written for the Paperjam Green newsletter, the monthly meeting to follow news on the environment, climate, mobility, CSR and green finance.
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