Costs of air pollution from European industrial facilities 2008–2012
Air pollution from Europe's largest industrial facilities cost society at least €59 billion, and possibly as much as €189 billion in 2012, according to an assessment published by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Half of these damage costs were caused by just 1 % of the industrial plants. Air pollution and greenhouse gases from industry cost Europe between €59 and €189 billion in 2012, the report shows. The upper estimate is approximately equivalent to the GDP of Finland or half the GDP of Poland. Over the period 2008 - 2012 the estimated cost was at least €329 billion and possibly up to €1 053 billion. The findings come from 'Costs of air pollution from European industrial facilities – an updated assessment', which evaluates a number of harmful impacts caused by air pollution including premature death, hospital costs, lost work days, health problems, damage to buildings and reduced agricultural yields. The EEA uses a range of cost estimates as there are several existing methods currently used by policy-makers to calculate associated damage costs.