Studies on air pollution in the EU have shown that air quality in Europe has improved over the past 20 years. Nevertheless, the majority of the EU’s population still breathes polluted air. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that 98% of the population is still living in areas where the level of pollution with PM 2.5 particles is too high. A slightly lower percentage – 80% – applies to PM10 particles, and 86% to nitrogen dioxide.
PM 10 and PM 2.5 particles are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and are linked to several health issues, such as heart disease, cancer, and premature births.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/13/air-pollution-levels-have-improved-in-europe-over-20-years-say-researchers