Analysis reveals high health costs associated with air pollution in Bucharest

A new analysis made public by the 2Celsius Association and quoted by Agerpres revealed high health costs associated with air pollution in Bucharest. In fact, with roughly EUR 3,000 per capita, the Romanian capital has the highest such costs in Europe, the source said.

That is why, to improve the air quality in Bucharest, 2Celsius Association experts argue in favor of implementing Low-Emission Zones (ZNSE) in the city by 2025.

“Air pollution is associated with a wide range of health problems, including chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and lung cancer. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes approximately 7 million premature deaths globally annually. The health costs caused by air pollution in Bucharest are the highest in Europe, at around EUR 3,000,” the 2Celsius Association said.

“At the same time, the European Environment Agency announces that air pollution remains the main environmental risk for the health of Europeans and estimates that at least 253,000 deaths in the EU in 2021 can be attributed to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution above the concentration of 5 micrograms/m3 recommended by the WHO,” the same source explained.

According to research carried out by 2Celsius and Ecopolis in 2023, which monitored the level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in 21 locations in Bucharest, the legal limit thresholds were exceeded in six points. NO2 is a gas resulting from road traffic, industrial activities, and the production of electricity, and in high quantities, it affects human health, causing respiratory ailments in particular.

In this context, the association proposes the implementation of low-emission zones in Bucharest, as it says they are one of the most effective ways to improve air quality in cities, all the more so when implemented across its entire surface.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)