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European Parliament votes on air quality
Although the Environment Committee had agreed on WHO alignment from the year 2030, a compromise proposal was presented to the European Parliament that aimed instead at 2035. This delay will lead to an excess mortality of 600,000 over the five-year period according to calculations by the European Respiratory Society. In addition, arsenic, nickel and B(a)P limit values were changed in line with the Commission proposal after heavy lobbying from industry. However, the proposal did retain the following changes: 1, More environmental monitoring of soot, mercury, ammonia, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead and benzene. 2, EU countries must draw up air quality roadmaps in which they explain how they must meet the regulatory requirements. 3, More so-called super monitoring stations (from one per 10 million inhabitants to 2 million inhabitants). 4, Faster requirements for measures when limit values are regularly exceeded; within three years instead of the EU Commission’s proposal of five years. 5, People who experience serious health problems due to bad air get legal tools to bring action for damages. EU citizens should be able to access public information on air pollution.
Actualité Parlement européen, Communiqué de presse 13-09-2023
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/fr/press-room/20230911IPR04915/pollu...