Polluted Air Causes Some 11,000 Premature Deaths in Serbia per Year

Air pollution

Pollutants in the air annually lead to about 11,000 premature deaths in Serbia, with PM2.5 particles being the most harmful, according to data from the National Air Protection Program for the period 2022-2032.

Daily Danas reported in its Sept. 23 issue that the number refers to chronic mortality, i.e. premature death resulting from prolonged inhalation of bad air. Where acute mortality is concerned, i.e. death that occurs within days of exposure to polluted air, estimates say that 461 people die in that way in Serbia per year.

The document, made with help from the EU, also says that polluted air annually leads to about 14,000 hospitalizations in Serbia and causes a worsening of asthma in children which can last for days.

The National Air Protection Program for the period 2022-2032 for the first time comprehensively maps air pollution in Serbia. The document also provides an overview of different scenarios that could help reduce air pollution and mitigate the consequences of bad air quality. Although this document was made late last year, the government has not adopted it yet, probably because of the funds required for its implementation, says Danas.