A new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) reveals that environmental risks like air pollution, toxic chemicals, and extreme weather are major contributors to heart-related deaths in Europe.
—withAccording to the EEA, around one in five cardiovascular deaths could be avoided by tackling these environmental hazards. In 2022 alone, more than 1.7 million Europeans died from cardiovascular diseases — with 130,000 deaths linked to fine particle pollution and 115,000 caused by extreme heat or cold.
The agency emphasized the importance of raising public awareness, reducing traffic noise, and tightening chemical safety regulations to prevent these deaths.
air pollutionWhile the EU has already cut air-pollution deaths by 55% since 2005, cardiovascular disease remains the top killer in Europe, leading to six million new cases annually and costing the EU about €282 billion ($325 billion) each year.
