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2026-07-27 07:29 UTC → 2026-07-29 15:22 UTC ·
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A The 2026 European Environment Agency report highlighted that Italy continued to suffer the highest rate of noted Italy’s still‑elevated premature deaths mortality from long‑term PM2.5 exposure among large EU economies, exposure, with 73 deaths per 100,000 in 2023 – a modest improvement from 86 in 2022 but still well above the EU average of 41. The report also warned that, despite most monitoring stations meeting current PM2.5 2023, and NO₂ standards, warned that ozone and other pollutants remain significant health threats, contributing continue to cause tens of thousands of early deaths across the bloc. A few days later, EU. Eurostat data for 2023 showed that Albania recorded with 129 premature deaths per 100,000 from PM2.5, placing it fourth in Europe behind North Macedonia, Bosnia‑Herzegovina and Serbia. The Balkan region’s figures were markedly higher than those of northern European nations, underscoring regional disparities Serbia and three times the EU average. A July 2026 Eurostat release reiterated Albania’s ranking and highlighted that the highest PM2.5 concentrations remain in air‑quality outcomes Tirana and pointing Elbasan. Health experts, including pulmonologist Jul Bushati, stressed that daily exposure to solid‑fuel heating, industry, transport fine particles raises risks of respiratory inflammation, asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and waste burning as major PM2.5 sources. cardiovascular disease.