About: particulate matter
In legal first, court faults France over air pollution
A court on Tuesday (25 June) found the French state had failed to take sufficient steps to limit air pollution around Paris, a legal first in the country hailed by environmental campaigners as a victory for victims of dirty air.
No toying around with air quality for city dwellers
Vehicle access restrictions have come under fire from the FIA motor car users group, which argues they are a whimsical instrument that cities spontaneously decided to employ. In fact, it was the car industry that was playing with real-world driving emissions, writes Karen Vancluysen.
Why construction machinery must be included in the Clean Vehicles Directive
Construction site machinery is responsible for a significant amount of air, noise, and climate pollution yet remains remarkably unregulated. The ongoing recast of the EU Clean Vehicles Directive offers a golden opportunity to address this, writes Mark Preston.
Strong climate action will help combat Europe’s urban air crisis
New research published this week in “The Lancet Planetary Health” reveals a promising path towards clean, healthy air: strong climate change policy, writes Dr. Melissa C. Lott.
Bulgarians denied a say on air pollution
While Bulgaria hosted a forum on Eco-innovation for air quality this week, its citizens are denied the right to clean air. Bulgaria has some of the dirtiest in Europe, yet its citizens are not allowed to go to court and claim their right to clean air, warns Ugo Taddei.
Air pollution almost as bad for babies as smoking during pregnancy
Dirty air can lead to women giving birth to smaller babies, according to new research which also warns that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy rivals the damage done by smoking.
Rethinking the cost of conventionally fueled road transport
If the human health costs from air pollution were to be accounted and paid for by the fossil car industry, we would see the price tag of conventional cars double, writes Teodora Serafimova.
Smog chokes coal-addicted Poland
The soupy grey smog shrouding Polish cities this winter is one of the most visible symptoms of the EU member's addiction to coal, a deadly habit forcing many to stay indoors or don masks before venturing out.
Petrol cars allowed to exceed pollution limits by 50% under draft EU laws
New European cars with petrol engines will be allowed to overshoot a limit on toxic particulates emissions by 50% under a draft EU regulation backed by the UK and most other EU states. Our partner The Guardian reports.
Delivering the promise of air quality
This week London new Mayor Sadiq Khan unveiled his plans to tackle air pollution in the city. Autogas can bring the fast, cost-effective changes that cities like London so desperately need, writes Cécile Nourigat.
Air pollution now major contributor to stroke, global study finds
Air pollution has become a major contributor to stroke for the first time, with unclean air now blamed for nearly one third of the years of healthy life lost to the condition worldwide.
Why do some countries block action on air pollution rather than save lives?
Air pollution causes hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year and costs up to 9% of EU GDP. Stalling on improving air quality is both dangerous and economically foolish, writes Louise Duprez.
20 cities challenge relaxation of EU air pollution standards
Ordered to cut air pollution levels by Brussels, a group of EU cities are taking the Commission to court over its decision to relax car emissions standards, making their objectives even less attainable. EURACTIV France reports.
Air quality at a crossroads
Improving the EU’s poor air quality requires stricter regulation and significant investment. But the long term health benefits must outweigh financial concerns, argues Bert Brunekreef. InfographicPromoted content
ERTRAC research roadmap: Next steps for urban freight
Urban freight is responsible for approximately 25 percent of urban transport related CO2 emissions and 30 to 50 percent of other transport related pollutants such as particulate matters (PM) and Nitrogen Oxide (NOx).
Climate action will reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, say experts
Protecting the climate and public health go hand in hand. The European Society of Cardiology has joined the call for climate action to help cut the risk of cardiovascular disease. EURACTIV France reports.
Šef?ovi? should talk ‘health’ to make progress in Serbia
Maroš Šef?ovi? would do well to highlight the huge health benefits of climate mitigation and clean energy policies when he visits Serbia 10-11 June, writes Anne Stauffer.
Pollution from ships kills thousands each year
Shipping emissions are an invisible killer that cause lung cancer and heart disease, a new study has found, but researchers say the 60,000 deaths they cause each year could be significantly cut by exhaust filtration devices.
Traffic-related air pollution linked to type 1 diabetes in children
Several studies have already linked the likelihood of death by respiratory and circulatory illness to the level of fine dust particles in the air. A Munich study now shows that high levels of fine dust pollution could increase the risk of type 1 diabetes among children. EURACTIV Germany reports.
WHO air pollution review prompts new EU policy promises
The European Commission has promised a review of the EU's clean air standards later this year after new research by the World health Organization (WHO) suggested links between air pollution and health conditions ranging from neurodevelopment disorders to cardiovascular and respiratory deaths.
Black carbon’s global warming role ‘still unproven’
The fine dust particles emitted from burning wood or fuel, referred to as black carbon, are "likely to play a role in climate change" but should not divert attention away from carbon dioxide, EU officials said.