France, Germany and Ireland were among 11 member states to exceed air pollution limits in 2012, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has confirmed.

 

In an update to provisional figures initially released in March, the EEA examined four different pollutants: sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC).

 

It found that in addition to France, Germany and Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden all exceeded limits set under the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD). The UK, despite being under threat of EU legal action over its air quality, was among the 16 remaining member states to remain on track to comply with the rules.

 

The most commonly breached ceiling was for nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, with nine Member States exceeding their designated levels, primarily due to emissions from road transport.

 

Denmark and Finland exceeded the limit for ammonia, along with Spain, which also emitted too much NOx. Luxembourg was the other country to breach the ceiling for two categories, also contravening NMVOC levels. All 27 Member States met the sulphur dioxide limits.

 

In a statement, the EEA said: "Air pollutant emissions have decreased over the last decades, but some are still being emitted above legal limits in the EU, in particular nitrogen dioxides."