Air quality in Brussels has improved over the past decade. Last year, the Brussels region also met all European limit values and targets that had to be met by 2023, the Brussels environment agency reveals.
Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter are constantly measured. Last year the Brussels environment agency measured a 10% drop in these concentrations compared to the previous year. Since the introduction of the low emission zone in 2018, nitrogen dioxide concentrations decreased by 40%.
Low emission zone has positive effect
The environment agency sees two reasons why air quality has improved in recent years. "It is thanks to technological progress and thanks to the measures on emissions that are being taken that we now observe these positive results," says Judith Verbist of the Brussels environment agency.
"The low-emission zone was introduced in 2018 and no matter how you look at it, that measure has a positive impact on air quality. Better air quality automatically improves the health of Brussels residents."
Very harmful to health
It is important to monitor concentrations because nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter are especially harmful to health. They can cause cardiovascular disease, asthma and respiratory diseases as well as premature deaths. The latest report from the European Environment Agency counted 5,330 premature deaths in Belgium in 2020 due to exposure to nitrogen dioxide, fine particate matter (PM2.5) and ozone.
Meeting new targets by 2030
The Brussels Capital Region may have met the 2023 targets, but there is a new challenge: meeting the new European limits by 2030. The World Health Organisation has also recommended certain values for nitrogen dioxide, fine particulate matter and ozone, which the Region currently exceeds by far.