Across the 27-nation bloc that year, "exposure to concentrations of fine particulate matter above the 2021 World Health Organization guideline level resulted in 238,000 premature deaths," the European Environment Agency said in a new report.That was slightly more than those recorded in 2019 in the EU, despite a fall in emissions due to Covid curbs.Their tiny size enables them to travel deep into the respiratory tract, worsening the risk of bronchitis, asthma and lung disease."When comparing 2020 to 2019, the number of premature deaths attributable to air pollution increased for PM2.5 but decreased for NO2 and O3," the agency said."If this rate of decline is maintained, the EU will reach the aforementioned zero pollution action plan target before 2030.""