European legislation improving air quality in the port of Palma
Palma de Mallorca
21/08/2012
The sulfur dioxide levels in the port of Palma have been reduced by 66% as a result of European policies aimed at improving the quality of the air we breathe in Europe. Sulfur dioxide is a major air pollutant that causes acid rain and generates fine dust. This dust is dangerous to human health as it causes respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. A team of EU-funded researchers has shown that the observed reduction is a direct result of the application of Directive 1999/32/EC of the European Union, which imposes limits on the sulfur content of fuels used by ships at berth or anchored at ports of its territory and which came into effect in January 2010. The four Mediterranean ports that were investigated were Civitavecchia, Savona, Palma de Mallorca and Tunisia.
