Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
EU annual/period limit for PM2.5 is 25 µg/m³ - lower limit-value tercile; the legal number itself is already tight.
EU limit value
25 µg/m³
annual mean. Directive 2008/50/EC.
WHO 2021 guideline
5 µg/m³
annual mean
Tight numeric EU ceiling for PM2.5
PM2.5 carries a lower-tercile Directive number (25 µg/m³). Even before the WHO comparison, the legal ceiling is among the stricter numeric bars on this site.
Primary sources: Combustion (vehicles, heating, industry), wood-burning, agricultural ammonia.
Health impact: Penetrates deep into lungs and bloodstream. Strongly linked to cardiovascular and respiratory disease, lung cancer, and premature mortality. WHO classifies as Group 1 carcinogen.
Measurement method: Reference: Gravimetric, EN 12341. Equivalent: Beta-attenuation, optical (TEOM, optical particle counter)
Directive ceiling 25 µg/m³ versus WHO 2021 guideline 5 µg/m³ (5.0×). The October 2024 Directive revision schedules further tightening toward 2030.
Top stations measuring Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
| Station | City | Country | Type | Annual mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warsaw-Marszalkowska | Warsaw | PL | traffic | 18.4 µg/m³ |
| Krakow-Krasinskiego | Krakow | PL | traffic | 18.4 µg/m³ |
| Sofia-Orlov most | Sofia | BG | traffic | 17.9 µg/m³ |
| Bratislava-Kamenne namestie | Bratislava | SK | traffic | 17.5 µg/m³ |
| Nicosia-Centre | Nicosia | CY | traffic | 16.6 µg/m³ |
| Bucharest-Cercul Militar | Bucharest | RO | traffic | 16.1 µg/m³ |
| Ljubljana-Center | Ljubljana | SI | traffic | 16.1 µg/m³ |
| Milan-Pascal | Milan | IT | traffic | 16 µg/m³ |
| Naples-Centro | Naples | IT | traffic | 16 µg/m³ |
| Athens-Piraeus | Athens | GR | traffic | 15.3 µg/m³ |
| Prague-Legerova | Prague | CZ | traffic | 14 µg/m³ |
| Barcelona-Eixample | Barcelona | ES | traffic | 12.8 µg/m³ |
| Valletta-Msida | Msida | MT | traffic | 12.5 µg/m³ |
| Zagreb-Centar | Zagreb | HR | background | 12.2 µg/m³ |
| Rome-Arenula | Rome | IT | background | 11.8 µg/m³ |
| Budapest-Erzsebet ter | Budapest | HU | background | 11.8 µg/m³ |
| Vienna-Taborstrasse | Vienna | AT | traffic | 11.4 µg/m³ |
| Riga-Brivibas iela | Riga | LV | traffic | 11.4 µg/m³ |
| London-Marylebone Road | London | GB | traffic | 11.3 µg/m³ |
| Birmingham-Centre | Birmingham | GB | traffic | 11.3 µg/m³ |
Common European air pollutants · All pollutants with station rows
Source: European Environment Agency, Average Exposure Indicator / Burden of Disease (wired extract, August 2026).
Source: World Health Organization Global Air Quality Guidelines, 2021 update.