Irish Regions Office Website

April 26, 2008

Moves towards Better Air Quality

Better Air Quality The Environment Council of Ministers endorsed a new directive on 14 April to limit the amount of fine particle emissions in the air that can cause a range of health problems. The tiny airborne pollutants, dust and atmospheric microparticles in question are emitted from a wide range of sources, including transport, industrial facilities residential fireplaces and agriculture. They can have a significant negative impact on human health as they are small enough to pass unfiltered through the nose and mouth, penetrating deep into human lungs and bloodstreams where they can cause potentially fatal respiratory and/or pulmonary diseases including asthma, emphysema and bronchitis which collectively lead to the premature death of some 350,000 EU citizens annually. According to Commission studies, an average European lives eight months less as a result of fine particle matter in the air: this rises to 3 years less in more polluted areas. The new Air Quality Directive simplifies current European legislation on ambient air quality by merging five separate texts into a single legal act. As of 2010, the new rules require the 27 Member States to reduce such urban air pollution by 20% within 10 years. This figure is a target value to be attained by January 2010, but will become a binding ceiling from 2015. This is part of a series of forthcoming legislative proposals to improve air quality. These include further reduction of the Member States' permitted national emissions of key pollutants; reduction of emissions associated with refuelling of petrol cars at service stations; addressing the sulphur content of fuels; improving the eco-design and reducing the emissions of domestic boilers and water heaters; and reducing the solvent content of paints, varnishes and vehicle refinishing products. Further details from http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st07/st07690-ad01.en08.pdf

Posted by iroronan at April 26, 2008 08:26 PM