Annually 5500 deaths due to air pollution
Because of ozone, particulate matter and nitrogen oxide, several thousand people die in Switzerland every year.
Air pollution remains the single largest environmental health risk in Europe. This is also true for Switzerland.
This is shown in a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA), which was published for the climate summit in Paris. According to the report, most city dwellers are exposed to air pollutants at levels classified as hazardous by the WHO.
In Switzerland, around 5500 premature deaths per year are attributed to particulate matter, ground-level ozone and nitrogen dioxide. Particulate matter is particularly dangerous, accounting for about 4300 of the deaths. Particulate matter can cause cardiovascular and lung diseases, heart attacks and arrhythmias. It is also considered to cause cancer. In 2013, 87 % of the EU urban population were exposed to particulate matter concentrations exceeding the level set by the WHO to protect human health.
The second most premature deaths are caused by NO2, i.e. nitrogen oxide. This directly affects the respiratory system and also contributes to the formation of particulate matter.
Apart from health effects, air pollutants also have a significant detrimental effect on plant life and ecosystems. These problems, including eutrophication caused by ammonia (NH3) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), and plant damage caused by O3, are still widespread in Europe.
