Excess pollution from diesel cars leads to 5,000 premature deaths a year in Europe
Two years ago the US Environmental Protection Agency issued a notice of violation to Volkswagen, setting off the far-reaching investigation and media storm into the VW diesel scandal. New research captures some of the real-world impact on lives lost due to air pollution associated with diesel cars.
In a new study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, researchers showed that in 2013, air pollution by diesel cars, vans, and light commercial vehicles contributed to roughly 10,000 premature deaths in 28 European Union countries plus Norway and Switzerland. About half of these deaths could have been avoided if these vehicles met the pollution limits set by countries.