Air pollution

June 14 The European Commission and the European Environment Agency, in close cooperation with the Joint Research Centre, published on-line maps to allow citizens to pinpoint the main diffuse sources of air pollution in Europe. The new set of 32 maps complement existing data on emissions from individual industrial plants from the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR) set up in 2009 to facilitate the access to environmental information and to help Europeans actively engage in decisions affecting the environment. European citizens for the first time are able to pinpoint main diffuse pollution sources with a zoom in on their area on a scale of 5km per 5km. In addition maps represent a valid instrument for air quality experts for modeling thereby assessing the environmental consequences of local emissions.