Air pollution in Europe kills, even at ‘safe’ levels

Europeans with long-term exposure to particulate pollution from road traffic or industry run a higher risk of premature death, even if air quality meets EU standards, a study said.

Published in The Lancet, the paper pointed the finger at fine particles of soot and dust, emissions of which are also stirring a health scare in parts of Asia, especially China.

Scientists led by Rob Beelen of Utrecht University in the Netherlands looked at 22 previously-published studies that monitored the health of 367,000 people in 13 countries in western Europe. Recruited in the 1990s, they were followed for nearly 14 years. During the time of the study, 29,000 people died, according to the data.