Lombardia air pollution costs reach 33.4 billion euros annually

A new European study conducted under the Horizon Europe VALESOR project reveals that PM2.5 pollution exposure in Lombardy, Italy, costs the region approximately 33.4 billion euros annually. This figure represents 7.3 percent of the regional GDP and includes healthcare costs, loss of productivity, and diminished quality of life, averaging a cost of 3,360 euros per citizen. Direct healthcare expenditures for avoidable diseases linked to poor air quality amount to 1.4 billion euros per year.

In response to these findings, the association ‘Cittadini per l’Aria’ has filed a complaint with the regional Prosecutor of the Court of Auditors for Lombardy to investigate potential financial liabilities regarding regional air quality policies.

Separately, seasonal anti-smog measures are set to return in Lombardy starting October 1. In Como, temporary interventions will be triggered based on PM10 concentrations: the first level activates after two consecutive days exceeding 50 micrograms per cubic meter, and the second level after seven days. While new regional restrictions on Euro 5 diesel vehicles will take effect in cities with over 100,000 inhabitants—such as Milan, Brescia, Monza, and Bergamo—Como is currently exempt from this specific diesel ban.