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NEWS: In its guidelines on outdoor air quality, the WHO recommends drastically reducing some of its limit values from 2005, as there are still health risks even with the reduced values. Air pollution is seen as one of the greatest environmental threats to human health alongside climate change.
Reducing air pollution could reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and acute and chronic lung diseases such as asthma.
Research shows that in 2019, 99 % of the world's population lived in places where the WHO air quality guidelines were not met. According to the WHO, air pollution from particulate matter led to 4.2 million premature deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer in both rural and urban areas.
The current limit values of the WHO guidelines for air quality are based on an assessment of the health effects of air pollution and provide threshold values for health-relevant air pollution.
The WHO limit values from 2005 are reduced as follows compared to the current limit value recommendations from 2021:
- Particulate matter PM2,5 to 5 µg/m³ instead of 10 µg/m³
- Particulate matter PM10 to 15 µg/m³ instead of 20 µg/m³
- Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to 10 µg/m³ instead of 40 µg/m³
It should be noted that the current EU limit values for particulate matter of 25 µg/m³ (PM2,5) and 40 µg/m³ (PM10) are even significantly higher than the old WHO limits from 2005.
However, the WHO limits are merely recommendations, which are determined on the basis of health assessments. The EU wants to discuss possible adjustments to the existing regulations by autumn 2022.
The M&P Group already takes a holistic view of necessary construction measures during the planning phase. In future, however, this factor will be given even greater consideration and, if necessary, more environmentally friendly alternatives will be proposed. Our climate experts from Go.Blue.Now. will help you to find the right climate strategy for your company.
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