Malta pollution exposure remains highest in EU despite reaching lowest point since 2005

Malta registered the highest rate of citizens claiming to have been exposed to pollution, grime or other environmental problems in 2017, according to figures published by Eurostat.

Malta topped the list with 26.5% reporting exposure to pollution. It was followed by Germany with 24.5% and Greece with 20.3%.

Rates of exposure to pollution, grime or other environmental problems were also above the EU average in Luxembourg, Latvia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Romania.

At the other end of the range, the three Nordic Member States (Denmark, Finland and Sweden), together with Croatia, recorded some of the lowest exposure rates to pollution, grime or other environmental problems (between 6 and 8% of their populations). The Member State with the lowest share of the population reporting exposure to these environmental problems was Ireland, with 5.3%.

The EU average stood at 14.1% showing very little change over the last ten years.  

Malta has topped the list of countries whose citizens have reported experiencing pollution every year since it joined the EU in 2004.

In 2005, 33.9% of the population said they had encountered pollution grime or other environmental problems. The proportion increased to 41.4% in 2011 before reaching its lowest point in 2017.

Eurostat figures for 2018 indicate a slight increase with the percentage rising to 29.7%.