Toxic air killed over 500,000 people in EU in 2021: Study

A recent study by the European Environment Agency estimated that over half a million people in the European Union died due to air pollution in 2021. The research found that 253,000 deaths were caused by fine particulates (PM2.5) exceeding the World Health Organization's guideline limits. Additionally, excessive nitrogen dioxide and ozone exposure resulted in 52,000 and 22,000 deaths, respectively. The EU has made progress in reducing PM2.5-related deaths, aiming for a 55% reduction by the end of the decade.