Category Archives: Europe

Poor air quality leads to 3,400 deaths a year in Ireland

Poor air quality contributes up to 3,400 premature deaths and costs Ireland up to €6.3 billion a year, An Taisce has revealed. According to The National Trust for Ireland, Irish people are suffering unnecessarily high levels of asthma, bronchitis and … Continue reading

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‘Councils must unite to tackle air pollution’

OXFORDSHIRE’S local authorities should work together more to help tackle the city’s unique air pollution problems, it has been claimed. It has emerged that Oxford has consistently failed to meet its target for reducing nitrogen dioxide, which is caused by … Continue reading

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Air policy review one of four ‘key’ EU priorities

Environment commissioner Janez Potočnik announces that the review of air quality policy is one of the EU’s key environmental initiatives for 2013 and 2014 The EU’s review of its air quality policy is one of four key environmental initiatives for … Continue reading

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Letters: Air quality a problem for small towns as well as cities

The air-quality problem (The last gasp, G2, 20 March) is not just a problem in big cities. Crediton, population about 8,000, was declared an air-quality management area in 2003. The A377, which connects Exeter and Barnstaple, now carries more than … Continue reading

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UK could face EU fines for “massaging” London’s pollution data

European Commission also preparing to sue UK over NO2 as part of air quality crackdown The European Commission is considering fresh legal action over the UK’s pollution problem following allegations London officials “massaged” air quality data last year in order … Continue reading

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Road traffic pollution as serious as passive smoke in the development of childhood asthma

New research conducted in 10 European cities has estimated that 14% of chronic childhood asthma is due to exposure to traffic pollution near busy roads. The results are comparable to the burden associated with passive smoking: the World Health Organization … Continue reading

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UK air pollution: why are we only now waking up to this public health crisis?

When Justin Bieber collapsed last week at the O2 arena in London and was taken to a private clinic feeling “short of breath” and needing oxygen, the rumours started flying that he had had an asthma attack. They were denied … Continue reading

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Air pollution: breaches of legal limits continued through 2010 and 2011

Air pollutant emissions were above legal limits in eight Member States in 2011, preliminary data shows. In 2010, 12 Member States exceeded these limits, according to final official data reported under the European Union’s National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive. Several … Continue reading

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