Groningen is the best city in the Netherlands for a breath of fresh air

The city of Groningen has the best air quality of all Dutch cities, a study by the European Environment Agency finds. 

The study ranks cities based on the average levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) — an air pollutant that is known to have harmful effects on human health.

Overall, the best air quality is enjoyed by the inhabitants of Swedish Umeå. Those living in the Polish city of Nowy Sacz suffer from the worst air quality. Groningen was the winner out of the list of Dutch cities, ranking #32. 

How did other Dutch cities do?

If you’re wondering how clean the air you’re breathing in your city is, here’s a little overview of the remaining eight Dutch cities that made the list. 

Regardless of their rank, most of the cities have “good” air quality based on EEA’s standards. The losers on this list — Amsterdam and Nijmegen — have “moderate” air quality.

Over 300 cities were surveyed in the study, using data collected by more than 400 monitoring stations. While overall, the air quality across Europe has improved over the past three decades, air pollution remains a serious problem in many European cities.

Are you surprised by the results of this study? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image: durktalsma/Depositphotos