European Union - Particle pollution

PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter)

The value for PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter) in European Union was 13.47 as of 2017. As the graph below shows, over the past 27 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 18.57 in 1990 and a minimum value of 13.43 in 2016.

Definition: Population-weighted exposure to ambient PM2.5 pollution is defined as the average level of exposure of a nation's population to concentrations of suspended particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in aerodynamic diameter, which are capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory tract and causing severe health damage. Exposure is calculated by weighting mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 by population in both urban and rural areas.

Source: Brauer, M. et al. 2017, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

See also:

Year Value
1990 18.57
1995 17.38
2000 16.64
2005 16.42
2010 16.50
2011 16.63
2012 15.31
2013 14.80
2014 14.25
2015 14.47
2016 13.43
2017 13.47

PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guideline value (% of total)

PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guideline value (% of total) in European Union was 79.86 as of 2017. Its highest value over the past 27 years was 92.93 in 1990, while its lowest value was 79.81 in 2016.

Definition: Percent of population exposed to ambient concentrations of PM2.5 that exceed the WHO guideline value is defined as the portion of a country’s population living in places where mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 are greater than 10 micrograms per cubic meter, the guideline value recommended by the World Health Organization as the lower end of the range of concentrations over which adverse health effects due to PM2.5 exposure have been observed.

Source: Brauer, M. et al. 2017, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

See also:

Year Value
1990 92.93
1995 92.43
2000 92.05
2005 91.91
2010 91.39
2011 92.38
2012 89.56
2013 88.20
2014 84.46
2015 85.61
2016 79.81
2017 79.86

Classification

Topic: Environment Indicators

Sub-Topic: Emissions