The European Environmental Agency has announced that industrial air pollution caused between $137-227 billion in damage to the environment and people's health in Europe during 2009.

The EEA report released Thursday was based on the 10,000 largest energy facilities and factories in the European Union's 27 member nations as well as Norway and Switzerland. However, the EEA says half of the total damage cost was caused by just 191 facilities.

EEA Executive Director Jacqueline McGlade said the analysis underlines the environmental and health impact of fossil fuel power generation. She says the results “make the case for introducing cleaner types of energy even more urgent.”

Carbon dioxide emission is the biggest contributor to the overall damage costs. But air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, ammonia, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter contribute to acid rain and respiratory problems.

Germany, Poland, Britain, France and Italy, which have the largest number of facilities, contribute most to the total damage costs.