The cost of air pollution in Athens exceeds 200 million euros each year according to an Athens Observatory report published in the environmental newsletter Ecocity. According to the researchers, 67 percent of the 211 million-euro cost can be attributed to public health issues and 31 percent to the effects of pollution on the climate, while agriculture and buildings also suffer.
Half the damage is caused by microparticles, more than half of which are release by the capital's 800 industrial units. Ore, cement and ceramics businesses are the major culprits of microparticle production, while oil refineries along with asphalt production units are the main producers of carbon and sulphur dioxide.
Much of the cost of air pollution, particularly in terms of public health, scientists say, comes from the fact that four million people live within 50 kilometres of Athens' industrial installations.
(Athens News, 7/4/06)