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Jul 29, 2024 · Air pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air pollution. Pollutants of major public health concern include ...
Oct 24, 2024 · Outdoor air pollution is a major environmental health problem affecting everyone in low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Ambient (outdoor) air pollution in both cities and rural areas was estimated to cause 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide per year in 2019; this mortality is due to exposure to fine particulate matter, which causes cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and cancers.
Pollutants not only severely impact public health, but also the earth’s climate and ecosystems globally. Most policies to reduce air pollution offer a “win-win” strategy for both health and climate. Lower levels of air pollution result in better cardiovascular and respiratory health of populations in both the long- and short-term. Reducing ambient and household air pollution can also reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and short-lived climate pollutants.
Nov 1, 2018 · How air pollution affects our body. Particles with a diameter of 10 microns or less (≤ PM 10) can penetrate and lodge deep inside the lungs, causing irritation, inflammation and damaging the lining of the respiratory tract. Smaller, more health-damaging particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less (≤ PM 2.5 – 60 of them make up the ...
Jun 25, 2024 · Furthermore, poor air quality increases the risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, and neurological conditions such as cognitive impairment and dementia. In 2019, air pollution caused about 6.7 million deaths. Of these, almost 85% are attributable to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including ischemic heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, asthma ...
Exposure to household air pollution can also cause short-term health effects, such as burning eyes, coughing, or nose and throat irritation. Fuel collection also increases the risk of musculoskeletal damage from carrying heavy loads and for injury or violence, especially when alone in insecure areas. The burden of routinely carrying heavy loads ...
Jul 12, 2023 · Air pollution is a major environmental threat and one of the main cases of death among all risk factors, ranking just below hypertension, tobacco smoking and high glucose. WHO estimates that, globally, air pollution is responsible for about 7 million premature deaths per year from ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer, but also from acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia which mainly affects children in low- and middle-income countries.
Jan 17, 2019 · The major outdoor pollution sources include vehicles, power generation, building heating systems, agriculture/waste incineration and industry. Policies and investments supporting cleaner transport, energy-efficient housing, power generation, industry and better municipal waste management can effectively reduce key sources of ambient air pollution.
WHO monitors the exposure of air pollution and its health impacts (deaths, DALYs) at the national, regional and global level from ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution. Such estimates are used for official reporting like the world health statistics, and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Air Pollution Data Portal includes Burden of Disease statistics, air quality databases and modelled exposure and estimates of both ambient and household air pollution.
Nov 29, 2019 · Quantifying the health co-benefits from taking climate actions offers a strong argument when gathering support for the transformative changes needed. The pictures in this story are part of a WHO exhibition on climate change and health, launched at the COP25 UN climate conference in Madrid. Pictures by (in order of appearance): Getty Images/Ravi ...
