Average concentrations of particulate matter (PM₁₀) have been unusually high across a wide region of Western Europe. Since March 12th  almost three quarters of France have experienced PM₁₀ concentrations above the limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter (daily mean), with some areas recording more than double that level.

Also in Belgium and Germany in several hot-spots, pollutants values have exceeded the limits. Today, Monday 17, because of wind most of the pollutants values are back in the average levels.  Causes of this events are complex but we can notice as the area involved in this air pollution episode is one of the most at risk of the EU because of concentration of diesel cars, urban heating systems, heavy industry and industrialized agriculture with strong chemical imputs of ammonia based fertilizers and with emissions from intensive animal breeding: a sum of factors that improve the risk of severe air pollution episodes.

Check the EEA’s near-real time air pollution map.

Check this article for a more detailed analysis on pollution risk factors:

http://www.eea.europa.eu/articles/air-pollution-knowledge-is-essential