Smart Air has put together the “Top 15 Most Polluted Cities in the European Union in 2024” list to highlight the city with the worst air quality in the EU.  This is an important list because air pollution is a major cause of death in the European Union, with 238,000 lives lost in 2021 alone. Almost 98% of Europeans breathe air with unsafe pollution levels.

*This ranking is derived from PM2.5 air pollution data from the two years leading up to the publication date.

Data source: EEA

Rankings: 15 Most Polluted Cities in the EU

1. Slavonski Brod, Croatia (26.5 µg/m3)

2. Nowy Sącz, Poland (24 µg/m3)

3. Cremona, Italy (23.3 µg/m3)

4. Vicenza, Italy (23 µg/m3)

5. Padova, Italy (22.7 µg/m3)

6. Venezia, Italy (22.6 µg/m3)

7. Piacenza, Italy (22.2 µg/m3)

8. Ioannina, Greece (21.9 µg/m3)

9. Częstochowa, Poland (21.9 µg/m3)

10. Żory, Poland (21.8 µg/m3)

11. Torino, Italy (21.0 µg/m3)

12. Bergamo, Italy (20.9 µg/m3)

13. Brescia, Italy (20.7 µg/m3)

14. Treviso, Italy (20.7 µg/m3)

15. Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland (20.6 µg/m3)

Read more: The 15 Least Polluted Cities in the European Union

What are the countries in the European Union with the Most Polluted Cities?

Italy is home to 9 of the 15 most polluted cities in the European Union, while Poland accounts for 4. Croatia and Greece each have just one city on the list. In Italy, the most polluted cities are heavily concentrated in the northern part of the country, particularly in the highly industrialized regions of Cremona, Turin (Torino), and Vicenza.

Unfortunately, all of these cities exceed the WHO’s recommended PM2.5 concentration limit of 5 µg/m³ by 4 to 6 times.

Why is the PM2.5 Level so Important?

Polluting particulate matter under 2.5 micrometers in diameter is considered one of the most dangerous pollutants. They penetrate deep into our lungs and bloodstream, causing many related diseases, which usually result in premature deaths.