Marking 20 years of AdBlue® and cleaner air

Life–saving innovation

According to the UN, air pollution is the second leading risk factor for death globally, contributing to approximately 8.1 million premature deaths each year from conditions such as stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.¹

That’s more lives lost in one year than COVID-19 caused in over five years.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx), often referred to as the “silent killer,” are a major contributor to smog, acid rain, and respiratory illnesses. AdBlue® helps convert harmful NOx emissions from diesel engines into harmless water vapor and nitrogen, making it a critical tool in the fight for clean air.

From vision to impact

More than 20 years ago, Yara and key stakeholders came together to turn the vision of cleaner diesel exhaust into reality. That collaboration laid the foundation for what AdBlue® has become today.

From modest beginnings, with just a few thousand litres of Yara’s Air1® shipped to early adopters in Europe in the first years, AdBlue® has grown into a multi-billion-litre market.

Today, it cleans the exhaust from over 35 million diesel vehicles across Europe, helping reduce harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and ensuring cleaner air for all.

The European Environment Agency EEA report that NO2-related deaths have dropped from 102,000 in 2005 to 48,000 in 2022, a 53% reduction in less than 20 year, despite a 30% increase in the vehicle fleet in the same period.²

This remarkable achievement is thanks to a combination of:

• Strong EU legislation
• Advanced automotive technology
• Reliable AdBlue® supply from the nitrogen industry

“A remarkable milestone. And we should be proud, because the fight for clean air is not abstract, it is about saving lives.”

Jorge Noval, EVP and CEO of Yara Industrial Solutions

Keeping the wheels turning 

AdBlue® is not just about clean air, it’s essential for mobility. Trucks, buses, delivery vans, passenger cars, and off-road machinery all rely on it.

Without AdBlue®, transport, agriculture, and construction sectors around the world would quickly grind to a halt. Supermarket and pharmacy shelves would stand empty, taxi lines would stretch endlessly, the plumber and electrician wouldn’t arrive, and construction sites would fall silent. Much of everyday life, as we know it, would simply stop.

Expanding global impact

AdBlue® has proven its effectiveness in Europe, and now its benefits are reaching other parts of the world. With five AdBlue® production plants in Europe and North America and a growing presence in Asia and South America, Yara is ready to meet the world’s rising demand.

As the world’s largest producer of AdBlue® Diesel Exhaust Fluid, Yara plays a key role in ensuring a reliable supply for the global fleet of vehicles and machinery that depend on AdBlue® — from freight trucks to passenger cars. These vehicles play a vital role in daily life, and thanks to AdBlue®, they do so with significantly reduced emissions.

That’s the true legacy of AdBlue®: enabling mobility while protecting the air we all breathe.

Happy 20th Anniversary, AdBlue®!

Sources:

1. UNICEF. (2024, June 18). Air pollution accounted for 8.1 million deaths globally in 2021, becoming the second leading risk factor for death, including for children under five years [Press release]
2. European Environment Agency. (2025, September 29). 3.2 Air pollution and impacts on human health [Thematic briefing]. In Europe’s environment 2025.