The last report on air quality of the European Environment Agency is quite edifying. It shows that, despite undeniable progress (for example, the emissions of particles PM10, i.e. with a diameter of less than 10 microns, and PM 2.5 have decreased respectively by 14% and 16% in the European Union between 2002 and 2011), the level of pollution is still alarming.
According to this report, nearly 90% of urban Europeans remain exposed to particulate matter pollution, and even more to ozone, which exceeds the thresholds recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, these particles, the smallest of which penetrate deep into the lungs and blood, are the cause of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and even the cause of early death. “By current standards, a large part of the population does not live in a healthy environment,” said Hans Bruyninckx, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency. The report also reveals that excessive pollution is not confined to cities, as some rural areas also have high levels of fine particles and ground-level ozone.
Another consequence of this daily exposure to fine particles: pregnant women are more likely to give birth to babies who suffer from intrauterine growth retardation and who are born with a low weight, according to another study published today. in the medical journal The Lancet and bringing together data collected from 74,000 women. However, babies who weigh less than 2.5 kg after 37 weeks of pregnancy can suffer from respiratory or hearing problems during childhood. The researchers also observed a decrease in the cranial perimeter of these babies “which prompts the question of the effect of pollution on neurodevelopment, on the cognitive or behavioral level”, notes epidemiologist Rémy Slama, co-author of this study.