Fake software has caused excess mortality in Europe. 5,000 deaths are directly linked to emissions of nitrogen oxides higher than the regulatory thresholds.
the diesel gate never ceases to cause a stir. The scandal revealed in 2015 caused general awareness. Diesel is not clean, we now know that. But by cheating, automakers have also increased emissions of nitrogen oxides, among other harmful substances.
For the first time, the extent of the damage has been quantified thanks to work by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute published in Environmental Research Letters. Each year in Europe, 425,000 premature deaths are attributed to air pollution.
And diesel vehicles are a significant part of this statistic. According to the calculations of the Norwegians, they are responsible for 10,000 of these deaths. The cause is nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted by the exhaust pipes.
100 million vehicles
The scandal of diesel gate exposed the questionable practices of Volkswagen and other manufacturers. In order to evade controls, vehicles were equipped with deceptive software, optimizing toxic gas emissions. Result: cars, vans and utility vehicles in circulation pollute more than announced in the laboratory.
And the scale of the disaster is not small. If the regulatory thresholds had been respected, the authorities would have recorded 5,000 premature deaths – half less than the current finding. In France alone, 750 deaths could have been avoided out of the 1,400 attributed to air pollution.
It must be said that diesel represents half of the vehicle fleet. 100 million such vehicles circulate on the roads of Europe. In some countries, including France, the share is even higher.
Jonson et al 2017
The lungs are in pain
Not surprisingly, NOx concentrations are higher on the Old Continent than elsewhere in the world. Compared to the promises of laboratory tests, emissions of nitrogen oxides are 4 to 7 times higher. However, 90% of the deaths listed here are due to respiratory or cardiovascular pathologies directly linked to exposure to these pollutants.
And for good reason: NOx are irritating gases that penetrate deeply into the lungs. “In sensitive people, they can cause breathing difficulties, bronchial hyperreactivity, and in children they promote the increased sensitivity of the bronchi to infections”, Explain the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In view of these risks, improving the quality of the engines therefore seems essential. The authors of this study insist on this point. They tested a model in which diesel vehicles polluted as little as gasoline engines. This would have reduced premature mortality by 78%. What to encourage to review its practices.
No more vehicles since the scandal
What is most worrying is that not all countries are equal when it comes to pollution. Italy is, for example, twice as much at risk as France. “This shows how dangerous air pollution can be, particularly in northern Italy, which is a very populated area,” said Jan Eiof Jonson, who signed the work.
Unfortunately, the global scandal did not have the impact expected. It would even be the opposite, according to a European study. In 2016, six million more “dirty” vehicles were driven on the roads. France seems to have learned the lessons since it is not among the most consuming countries.
The legislation could however be strengthened. Since the 1er September, the polluting emissions emitted by cars are subject to increased control. Brussels has indeed promised “new mandatory more realistic tests”.
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