APHEA – A pan-European study on the effect of air pollution

Evidence that high levels of air pollution have short-term effects on human health was provided by the well-known episodes of severe air pollution (smogs) in Europe and the USA prior to the 1960s. Subsequently, air quality has improved, mainly as a result of the introduction of national air quality standards and the controls necessary to ensure compliance with them. Nevertheless, recent publications have indicated that short-term health effects still occur even at levels of air pollution which do not exceed current national standards or limits.