Particulates

Air pollution continues to claim thousands of lives annually in Europe, with Greece seeing 10,700 premature deaths linked to airborne particulate matter, according to the European Environment Agency's annual report. 

More specifically, the report highlights that 239,000 Europeans died in 2022 due to suspended particulate matter (PM 2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone exposure. 

Two innovative platforms, AtmoHub and ClimateHub, are set to transform how Greece monitors and responds to atmospheric and climate conditions. Developed by the Academy of Athens' Atmospheric Physics and Climatology Research Center (KEFAK) in partnership with NOA-ReACT at the National Observatory of Athens, the tools promise unprecedented precision in data collection and analysis.

Residents of Sofia's "Krasna Polyana" neighborhood are once again raising concerns about dangerously polluted air as the fall season brings worsening conditions. Locals report a strong smell of synthetics, burnt clothes, and tires in the air, with some saying it is visibly dirty. Many blame nearby areas, including the "Vietnamese dormitories," for contributing to the pollution.

Efforts to manage the smoldering fires at the old sludge depot near the Plovdiv village of Katunitsa are ongoing, as the area continues to experience a strong, suffocating odor. A mobile laboratory is monitoring the air quality, prompting the closure of a local kindergarten and school after waste from the treatment plant ignited.

Bulgaria may face the possibility of a new criminal procedure initiated by the European Commission due to air pollution concerns. Reneta Koleva, Deputy Minister of Environment and Water, discussed the potential legal action in an interview with News.bg, highlighting issues related to the pollution levels of fine dust particles.

The smoke caused by the fire which broke out in Varnavas on Sunday afternoon in Varnava and quickly spread throughout northeast Attica, reaching toxic levels in the atmosphere, with an adverse impact on the health of people with pulmonary issues.

Air pollution, a leading cause of lung cancer, has seen a 3 percent increase in Istanbul in 2023 compared to the previous year.

Experts cite traffic density and the use of fossil fuels as the main contributors to this pollution

In 2023, approximately 41,000 people were diagnosed with lung cancer in Türkiye, a country already noted for its high rates of lung cancer in men.

The air quality in Plovdiv has significantly deteriorated, with fine dust particle levels exceeding the norms by seven times, according to Ivan Stoyanov, the Deputy Mayor for Ecology and Health. Stoyanov, who is currently at the Tsalapitsa fire site, reported that mobile air quality stations detected a concentration of 350 mg/m³ of fine dust particles (FDP) 10.

More than 7 per cent of all deaths in India’s top ten cities are linked to air pollution, according to a wide-ranging study released today leading scientists to call for saving tens of thousands of lives annually.

Smog-plagued Indian cities, including the capital New Delhi, are among the world’s top cities in terms of air pollution.

Aiming to measure the impact of human activities on local air quality with greater precision, a novel air quality monitoring network featuring smart benches is being developed in Attica. This innovative initiative, known as Faircity, is a collaborative effort between the National Observatory of Athens and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.