According to a report published by the European Environmental Agency (EEA) earlier this week, eight European Union countries have gone under the air pollution standards in 2011.
Four countries: Denmark, Malta , the Netherlands and Sweden, managed to reduce their pollution levels and bring it below the authorized levels.
In theory, countries that exceed the limits set for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds and ammonia, under the EU’s National Emissions Ceiling directive, will be penalized.
According to the EEA executive director Jacqueline McGlade, although there is an improvement from previous years, European countries should continue to work towards reducing air pollution. This applies especially to the transport sector.
The highest pollution levels were estimated in cities in France, Italy, Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria.
