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Pollution
Modified 12 Sept 2023

ImageVictor Troyanov, Environment & Me/EEA

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Pollution can harm human health and the environment. It can be pollutants found in air,
water and soil. It can also be harmful noise or artificial light. The EU is taking action to
reduce pollution and the threats harmful substances pose to Europe’s environment and
human health.
OverviewKey factsEU action
Pollution can come in many forms and from many sources. Once released, many
pollutants remain in nature and tend to accumulate. Some sources are widespread, like
transport and agriculture, whereas others are linked to a specific place, like a factory or
power plant. Chemicals, dust, noise and radiation are pollutants that can alter air, water
and soil in a way that makes them harmful to our health and environment.

In recent decades, thanks to legislation, there has been significant progress toward
reducing the amount of pollutants released to nature in Europe.

 The number of Europeans dying prematurely due to poor air quality is less than half of
early 1990s levels.
 Europe’s industry is becoming cleaner with fewer emissions to air and water.
 A wider uptake of electric cars and more extensive public transport systems contribute
to cleaner air, especially in cities.
 Advanced wastewater treatment covers more and more communities. We can enjoy
fishing and swimming in many rivers, lakes and coastal areas.
 Agricultural practices are focusing on fertiliser and pesticide use aimed at minimising
the risk of contaminating water and soil.

Yet, many of Europe's water bodies continue to be impacted by contamination. Different

pollutants like mercury or microplastics continue to accumulate. Europe’s soils still
suffer from the pollution that was released decades or centuries ago. Millions continue
to be exposed to harmful levels of noise pollution. Pollution exposure in Europe is often
linked to social inequalities and income levels, with poorer communities and
households more likely to be exposed to pollution and suffer from its health effects.

Despite real improvements, data on existing pollution levels indicate that we can and
should do much more. This will require better implementation of existing policies and
targets as well as a comprehensive approach. The EU’s Zero Pollution Action
Plan aims to do that.
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Zero pollution monitoring assessment: a baseline

analysis of progress towards a zero pollution Europe
Read EEA report on zero pollution
 ImageToma Georgian Mihai, Well with Nature/EEA

Preventing cancer cases by...

Cancer impacts the lives of many Europeans, with nearly 2.7 million new patients
diagnosed and 1.3 million deaths each year in the EU-27 (Dyba et al., 2021). Although
Europe represents less than 10% of the world’s population, it reports almost 23% of
new cancer cases and 20% of the cancer deaths worldwide.

Our report provides a brief overview of the evidence on the environmental and
occupational determinants of cancer in Europe and of EU policy responses. According
to our report:

 Exposure to air pollution, carcinogenic chemicals, radon, UV radiation and second-hand

smoke together may contribute over 10% of the cancer burden in Europe.
 Environmental and occupational cancer risks can be reduced by cleaning up pollution
and changing behaviours: decreasing these risks will lead to a fall in the numbers of
cancer cases and deaths.

Read our report

Tackling water pollution

EU policy to reduce water pollution has been in place for nearly five decades. But while
there has been progress, only 38% of EU surface water bodies were in good chemical
status as of 2018.

Most chemical pollution in surface water stems from three groups of substances:

 Mercury and its compounds;

 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs);
 Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pBDEs).

Also, diffuse pollutants like nitrates from agriculture affect the ecological status of
water. For example, excessive nutrients lead to eutrophication.

Read the full report

What are the main air pollutants?

Particulate matter (PM) is emitted from many sources and is one of the most harmful
pollutants to human health. It penetrates sensitive regions of the respiratory system and
can cause or aggravate cardiovascular and lung diseases and cancers.
 Ground-level ozone (O3) is an air pollutant that affects human health, vegetation and
materials. Ozone is formed when other pollutants react with sunlight.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx) are emitted from fuel combustion,
such as power plants and other industrial facilities. They contribute to the acidification
and eutrophication of waters and soils. In the air, they can cause health problems, such
as airway inflammation and reduced lung function.

Organic pollutants, such as Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), are emitted from fuel and waste
combustion, industrial processes and solvent use. Substances such as
hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) can have a range of harmful effects on human health and
ecosystems.

Heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, are toxic to ecosystems. They are mainly
emitted from combustion processes and industrial activities. As well as polluting the air,
they can build up in soils and sediments and accumulate in food chains.

Ammonia (NH3) is emitted mainly from agriculture and contributes to the eutrophication
and acidification of waters and soils.

More on air pollution

Land and soil pollution: a growing problem

Excessive use of mineral fertilisers can contaminate soil and affect the way soil
ecosystems function. Through soil erosion or flooding, pollutants can enter water
streams, leach into groundwater, and spread further to affect drinking water and
nature. Waste management practices — such as landfilling or spreading waste water
on land — can also introduce contaminants to the soil. Air pollutants also end up being
deposited on land and soil.

In Europe, pollution from industry is regulated by EU legislation and has been

declining significantly. Despite this, industrial facilities also release some of their
pollutant emissions to land. Information on how much and what pollutants each facility
releases are made public through the European Industrial Emissions Portal.

More on soil pollution and ecosystems

More information
Other topics you might be interested in:

 Air pollution
 Bathing water quality
 Chemicals
 Climate change mitigation: reducing emissions
 Environmental health impacts
 Health
 Noise
 Seas and coasts
 Soil
 Water

External links:

 European Industrial Emissions Portal

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