Italy ‘persistently’ breaching EU pollution rules: European Court of Justice

The European Court of Justice on Tuesday, in a ruling supporting legal action by Brussels against Rome, found that Italy has “persistently and systematically” breached EU rules against small-particle air pollution, reported AFP.

The court, in a statement said, “Daily and annual limit values for PM10 particulate matter were very regularly exceeded” in zones highlighted by the European Commission in an infringement procedure launched two years back. 

The court further talked about Italy’s failure in adopting measures regarding air quality and said, “The Italian Republic has manifestly failed to adopt in good time the measures.”

A particular set of measures are required under the EU’s Air Quality Directive, which aims to reduce unhealthy pollution in Europe’s air. 

PM10 refers to the size of particulate matter in the air, with the number indicating how many microns, or tiny units of measurement with one micron equaling 1000th of a millimeter in diameter. 

According to the World Health Organisation, air pollution of particles smaller than 10 microns can lodge in the lungs, while particles smaller than 2.5 microns cause heightened mortality because of cardiovascular and respiratory disease and cancers.