Just under 240,000 deaths per year in the European Union can be attributed to exposure to fine particulate matter, a key air pollutant, according to the latest European Environment Agency (EEA) air quality health impact assessment published today as the new EU rules enter into force. The latest data also confirm, yet again, that Europeans remain exposed to air pollutant concentrations considerably above recommended World Health Organization (WHO) levels. A separate assessment also found that nearly three quarters of Europe’s ecosystems are exposed to damaging levels of air pollution. (Source: EEA)