What are LEZs ? - Air quality and Health

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Your source of information about Low Emission Zones and how they affect you when you drive in Europe. There are many Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in 10 European countries. Low Emission Zones are areas where vehicle access is limited by its emissions.

This website, www.lowemissionzones.eu, gives all the information you need to drive in LEZs in Europe. The information is available within 1-2 clicks from the homepage, either via the frontpage map or side and top menus.

To navigate the site, click on the map; use the tabs at the top to find Cities by A-Z or by Country, how to comply, and retrofitting details. This text also gives many links you can use to navigate the site.

Alternatively use the left hand menu to find out what are LEZs, and do why they exit, get an overview of LEZs, or use our 'Quick Guide'.

The ‘Quick Guide’ gives an overview table with all LEZs by country/city or start date, showing the most important facts at a single glance (emissions standard, vehicles, dates) and a link to full information. It also allows you to search LEZs by vehicle type affected: coach, lorry, camper van, van, car and motorcycle.

Overview of Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in Europe

LEZs are implemented to improve air quality, and help meet the EU health-based air quality limits, particularly of particulate matter (PM₁₀, PM_2.5 and also Black Carbon) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂). Poor air quality kills over 310000 people in Europe each year - more than by road accidents – with human health costs of between €427 and €790 billion per year.

Which vehicles are affected?

The following table gives a summary by vehicles affected:

Vehicle type	LEZs	Vehicle standard 2011	Future standard
Lorries only	Netherlands	Euro 4(PM)	Euro 4 (1/7/13)
	Austrian A12 motorway	Euro 2/3
	Mont Blanc Tunnel, FR/IT	Euro 1
Heavy Duty Vehicles	London, UK	Euro 3(PM)	Euro 4(PM) (3/1/12)
	Denmark	Fit filter if <Euro 4
	Sweden	8 years old / Euro 3
	Prague, CZ	Euro 2
All 4+ wheelers	Germany	Euro 2-4(PM) & Euro 1 petrol
All vehicles	Italy	Euro 1-3 / no 2-stroke motorcycles
Local buses under agreements	Norwich, UK	Euro 3(NOx)
Local buses under agreements	Oxford, UK	None	Euro V (1/1/13)
Vans	London, UK	None	Euro 3 (3/1/12)
	Germany	Euro 2-4(PM) & Euro 1 petrol
	taly	Euro 1-3 / no 2-stroke motorcycles

Operating hours: Most LEZs operate permanently, the exemption is Italy, where LEZs sometimes operate at peak or other selected times.

Do I have to register before entering? In Germany and Sweden you will need to buy a sticker. Danish vehicles need to purchase a sticker for the Danish LEZs, foreign vehicles need to carry proof of the vehicle emissions standard. Foreign vehicles are required to register with London’s LEZ (as the national database does not include their details). Entry to the Prague LEZ is by permit. Some Italian LEZs require stickers, and you need to pay to enter the Milan Ecopass area. In many cases registration is possible by Internet or post. More information on registering can be found on our 'Where do I need to register' page.

Other LEZs are enforced with cameras reading the vehicle number plates (Netherlands, London), or by police controlling the vehicle papers (Italy, A12, Mont Blanc Tunnel), or local agreements (Norwich, Oxford (UK)).

LEZs are also called Environment Zones, or in a selection of European languages: Umweltzonen, Fahrverbote, Milieuzones, Lavutslippssone, Norway, Miljozone, Miljözon, Zielone Strefy, Nízkoemisní Zóny, ZAPA (Zone d'Action Prioritaire pour l'Air, zone environnementale), Zona de Bajas Emisiones.

LEZs currently exist in 8 countries, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, the Czech Republic. They are also in planning in other countries.

If your vehicle does not meet the emission standards required, you can buy a newer vehicle, use a different vehicle, or modify your vehicle's engine, for example by fitting a diesel particulate filter. You can find more about the different options from our how to comply page.

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Article Index
What are LEZs ?
Why LEZs? - Health!
Air quality and Health
Impact of LEZs
Euro and emissions standards
What emissions standard is my vehicle?
What is Air Pollution?
Where does pollution come from?
What else is being done to reduce air pollution?
The role of the EU
EU Air Quality Targets
All Pages

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Air Quality and Health

There is a lot of evidence that poor air quality is bad for your health, and your life expectancy [how long you are likely, on average, to live]. Our previous page, Why LEZs ?: Health! gives an overview on air quality and health. The EU Cafe project, and the World Health Organisation are good sources of further information on this, and there are more useful websites on our links page.

The health impact of various pollutants

Individual pollutants have different potential impacts on health. These health impacts may result from short-term exposure (acute effects) or long-term exposure (chronic effects). Air quality targets are set in the light of these effects. Below is a summary of the health impacts of the main pollutants where the air quality standards are not met in the EU. The impact of combinations of pollutants is not well understood, but may well be greater than each of the pollutants on their own.

Fine Particles
Fine particles are generally considered to be among the most harmful of pollutants that are of concern in Europe, and this is why many LEZs are focused on them. Particulate matter is tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in air, from both human activities and natural sources. The exact composition will vary from place to place and from time to time. Particulate air pollution is associated with a range of health effects including on the respiratory [lung (e.g. asthma)] and cardiovascular [heart] systems and mortality [earlier death]. Particles can also carry attached carcinogenic compounds into the lungs. The current air quality standards are based on the PM₁₀ (particles of 10 millionths of a metre, 10μm, or less in diameter) and PM_2.5 size fractions. It is in fact the smaller particle sizes, and especially those from combustion processes, such as those from road vehicles, which are responsible for the harmful effects of particulate matter on health.

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂)
Nitrogen dioxide is considered to have both short-term and long-term effects on health. They affect lung function and exposure enhances the response to allergens [things that trigger allergic reactions] in sensitised individuals. It has been suggested that apparent effects of nitrogen dioxide on health may be due to particles or to its combination with particles.

Sources of NO₂ are particularly high temperature combustion processes which produce nitrogen monoxide (NO) and, to a lesser extent, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) - together termed oxides of nitrogen (NO_x). NO will convert fairly quickly in the atmosphere to NO₂, the pollutant of health concern

Ozone (O₃)
Exposure to ozone may cause slight irritation to the eyes and nose, worsening the symptoms of asthma and lung disease. This is a secondary pollutant, which results from a reaction of oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) and hydrocarbons (chemicals containing carbon and hydrogen) in sunlight. Whereas Particulates and Nitrogen Dioxide are often more of a problem in urban areas, and are the pollutants LEZs are aimed at reducing, Ozone tends to be more of a problem in more rural areas. However, reducing emissions that cause high levels NO₂ in urban areas will also help reduce ozone levels in rural areas.

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