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Air pollution kills 1,200 children a year, says EU agency

Jennifer Ibezim

Black smoke pollutes the air in the city of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on February 14, 2017. The Nigerian city of Port Harcourt used to be known as "The Garden City" because of its soaring palm trees and green open spaces. But the description, even if could be applied after decades of development linked to the oil industry, has hardly seemed appropriate in the last few months. Since late last year, black soot has been falling from the sky, scaring and angering residents who claim nothing is being done to protect their health. / AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI

Air pollution still causes more than 1,200 premature deaths a year in under 18’s across Europe and increases the risk of chronic disease later in life, the EU environmental agency said Monday.

 

Despite recent improvements, “the level of key air pollutants in many European countries remain stubbornly above World Health Organization” (WHO) guidelines, particularly in central-eastern Europe and Italy, said the EEA after a study in over 30 countries, including the 27 members of the European Union.

The report did not cover the major industrial nations of Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, suggesting the overall death tolls for the continent could be higher.

The EEA announced last November that 238,000 people died prematurely because of air pollution in 2020 in the EU, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.

 

“Air pollution causes over 1,200 premature deaths per year in people under the age of 18 in Europe and significantly increases the risk of disease later in life,” the agency said.

 

The study was the agency’s first to focus specifically on children.

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