Cut pollution and prevent 50,000 deaths, urge scientists

CUTTING air pollution could prevent 50,000 premature deaths each year in Europe, a Lancet study has found.

The authors, whose work is the first research to estimate premature deaths due to fine particulate matter in the region, said it showed the urgency of cutting emissions from transport, industry and domestic activities.

They concluded that meeting World Health Organisation requirements for PM2.5 levels across Europe could prevent 51,213 deaths per year.

On average, 2 per cent of annual deaths could be prevented in the cities studied if particulate pollution was cut to levels recommended by the WHO, of

‘This study proves that many cities are still not doing enough to tackle air pollution’

10 micrograms per cubic metre.

Madrid was revealed to be the European city with the highest amount of preventable deaths caused by nitrogen dioxide pollution, mainly linked to high levels of combustion engine traffic, especially from diesel vehicles.

Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health and coauthor of the study, said: “The study proves that many cities are still not doing enough to tackle air pollution, and levels above WHO guidelines are leading to unnecessary deaths.”

Cities in northern Italy also fared particularly poorly, with Turin and Milan having the highest mortality levels.

Coal plants near Polish and Czech cities and domestic coal burning also pushed them up the mortality rankings.

The best performing cities were largely in northern Europe and particularly Scandinavia, with Tromso in Norway, Umea in Sweden and Oulu in Finland recording the lowest rate of mortalities.