Pollution in Brussels EU quarter
Air pollution is a huge problem across Europe. Every year 400,000 people die prematurely because of poor air quality. Sensitive and vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children, the elderly and those already suffering from respiratory and other serious illnesses or from low income groups are
particularly affected.
The European Parliament has the power to change that and limit our exposure to air pollution.
This video shows what the air is like for Members of the European Parliament, in the EU quarter in Brussels, and invites them to take action by improving air quality laws at EU level.
In the coming months, MEPs will be working on various EU directives including the
National Emissions Ceilings Directive, the
Medium Combustion Plants Directive or the emissions from
Non Road Mobile Machinery Directive.
In
this video, partners from e
nvironmental NGOs in Brussels measured ultrafine particles (<PM1; that is between 20 nanometres and 1 micrometre) using a P-Trak particle counter. The results in the video show the number of particles (PN) present in one cubic centimetre of air (cm³).
The baseline on each graph (green line: 1,000PN/cm³) was measured in Glomsø, Denmark with the same particle reader.
Ultrafine particles are the most dangerous form of pollutants but are to date unregulated in the EU. Nevertheless reducing pollution levels of the larger particles, which are regulated, will also help decrease numbers of ultrafine particles present in our air, and therefore will make the air we breathe cleaner and healthier.
To know more about how air pollution affects your health, please consult
this factsheet or visit
www.knowyourairforhealth.eu.