The European Environment Agency (EEA) noted that within the EU, pollution caused by fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which affects people with heart diseases in particular, led to 253,000 deaths in 2021. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), most harmful to people with diabetes, resulted in 52,000 deaths, and short-term exposure to ozone (O3) led to 22,000 deaths.
Including a larger set of European countries outside the EU, there were 389,000 air pollution-related deaths in Europe, the EEA said.
The reports states that 5,600 Macedonian citizens died in one year due to air pollution.
