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Have you ever considered that your regular commute to and fro work could potentially shave off some years from your life? And no, we’re not talking about road traffic accidents but the slow poison we’re inhaling unbeknownst to us: air pollutants. A new study published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(24)00114-1/fulltext">The Lancet Planetary Health</a> by an international team of researchers reveals a terrifying truth: over 7% of daily deaths in 10 major <keyword id="20026638" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-cities" source="keywords">Indian cities</keyword> are attributed to <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword> caused by <keyword id="22110704" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM2-5-pollutants" source="keywords">PM2.5 pollutants</keyword> exceeding the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limits. These PM2.5 pollutants are microscopic particles, 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter, that come from <keyword id="2839914" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vehicle-emissions" source="Orion">vehicle emissions</keyword> and industrial activities. Imagine tiny daggers — that's what these PM2.5 particles are like, infiltrating deep into lungs and even the bloodstream, wreaking havoc on our health. The study found that PM2.5 levels breach WHO guidelines a staggering 99.8% of the time in these cities. The analysis covered major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Shimla and Varanasi. A staggering 7.2% of deaths in these cities, translating to roughly 33,000 annually, were associated with short-term PM2.5 levels exceeding the WHO's recommended limit (15 micrograms per cubic metre) between 2008 and 2019. Delhi, unfortunately, takes the crown for the most polluted. A shocking 11.5% of its annual deaths are attributed to air pollution, translating to a devastating 12,000 lives lost each year. The link between PM2.5 and mortality is undeniable. Researchers found that a mere 10 microgram per cubic metre increase in these pollutants correlates with a 1.4% rise in daily deaths. This risk factor doubles when considering only levels below India's air quality standards, which are, worryingly, less strict than the WHO's recommendations. But here's a surprising twist: the association between PM2.5 and death is even stronger in cities with generally cleaner air, like Bengaluru and Chennai. This suggests that locally produced pollutants, from sources like construction dust or waste burning, might be significant contributors. There is a glimmer of hope, however. The study emphasises that implementing stricter air quality standards and utilising proven pollution control methods from other parts of the world can be game changers. Lowering and enforcing stricter air quality limits will save tens of thousands of lives per year, emphasises Joel Schwartz, a co-author from Harvard University. This study serves as a stark wake-up call. The air we breathe in many Indian cities is a gamble, with every breath potentially harmful. Taking decisive action to curb pollution is not just about a cleaner environment, it's about saving the lives of millions of Indians.

Air pollution kills thousands in Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata every year: Lancet study

Incidence of stroke and related deaths are rising substantially around the world, with <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword>, <keyword id="21334318" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="high-temperatures" source="keywords">high temperatures</keyword> and metabolic risk factors such as high blood pressure and physical inactivity, driving these increases, according to estimates published in The Lancet Neurology journal. Researchers found that the contribution of high temperatures to poor health and early death due to stroke has increased 72% since 1990 and is likely to continue increasing in the future, thereby highlighting how environmental factors can impact growing stroke burden. Further, for the first time, particulate matter or PM air pollution was found to have the same contribution as smoking towards causing a fatal form of brain bleed, according to the researchers forming the <keyword id="20691740" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Global-Burden-of-Disease" source="keywords">Global Burden of Disease</keyword>, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) group. The GBD study, the "largest and most comprehensive effort to quantify health loss across places and over time", is coordinated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, US. Globally, the number of people experiencing a stroke for the first time rose to 119 lakh in 2021 -- up by 70% since 1990 -- while deaths related to stroke rose to 73 lakh, which was up by 44% since 1990, making the neurological condition the third leading cause of death after ischaemic heart disease (short supply of blood to heart) and COVID-19. They added that over three-fourth of those affected by strokes live in low- and middle-income countries. According to lead author Valery L. Feigin from Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, the rapid growth in the number of people affected by stroke strongly suggested that <keyword id="23228151" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="stroke-prevention" source="keywords">stroke prevention</keyword> strategies currently used are not sufficiently effective. "New, proven effective population-wide and motivational individual prevention strategies that could be applied to all people at risk of having a stroke, regardless of the level of risk, as recommended in the recent Lancet Neurology Commission on Stroke should be implemented across the globe urgently," said Feigin. The researchers also estimated that stroke-related liabilities attributable to 23 modifiable risk factors, including air pollution, excess body weight, high blood pressure, smoking and physical inactivity, increased from 100 million years of healthy life lost in 1990 to 135 million in 2021. These risk factors are present in huge numbers in Eastern Europe, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, they said. The authors also acknowledged substantial progress made in reducing the global stroke burden from risk factors linked to poor diet, air pollution and smoking. Poor health resulting from diets high in processed meat and low in vegetables declined by 40 % and 30%, respectively, while that due to PM air pollution and smoking fell by 20 % and 13%, respectively, they found. The results suggested that strategies for reducing exposure to these risk factors over the past three decades such as clean air zones and public smoking bans have been successful, the authors said. They called for implementing and monitoring the evidence-based recommendations set out in the 2023 World Stroke Organization-Lancet Neurology Commission on stroke for drastically reducing the global burden of stroke in the years to come and improving brain health and overall well-being of millions of people around the world. The recommendations include stroke surveillance programmes that monitor indicators of stroke such as incidence, recurrence, death rates and risk factors in a country, and care and rehabilitation services for people affected by stroke.

Stroke cases increasing globally, air pollution, high temperatures driving numbers, notes Lancet Study

<ul><li><keyword id="55910" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="Orion">Air pollution</keyword> affects almost all parts of the world, with a tiny area still below safety levels.</li><li>According to a new study, only 0.18% of land area and 0.001% of the global population has <keyword id="6452351" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="clean-air" source="Orion">clean air</keyword>.</li><li><keyword id="6489235" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="polluted-air" source="Orion">Polluted air</keyword> can cause diseases such as asthma and lung cancer in people.</li></ul> Air pollution is one of the world's biggest problems, and it has reached a level wherein you are not safe from it anywhere in the world. You might be mistaken if you thought you were breathing clean air. According to a <a href="https://phys.org/news/2023-03-world-first-global-daily-air-pollution.html">study</a> by Melbourne’s Monash University, almost no area on earth has air pollution levels deemed safe by the World Health Organisation (WHO). <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Less than 0.2% land area has good air" comment="subhead" text="Less than 0.2% land area has good air">Less than 0.2% land area has good air</cmsannotation> According to the study, only 0.18% of the global land area is exposed to concentrations of PM 2.5 that are below the levels of safety recommended by the WHO. The number gets worse when you talk about people. Only 0.001% of the global population can breathe air below the safety levels recommended by the WHO. Professor Yuming Guo, who led the study, highlighted the importance of the study, said, "It provides a deep understanding of the current state of outdoor air pollution and its impacts on human health. With this information, policymakers, public health officials, and researchers can better assess the short-term and long-term health effects of air pollution and develop air pollution mitigation strategies.” PM 2.5 pollutants are tiny and can penetrate the thoracic region of the respiratory system, increasing the risk of death due to respiratory and cardiovascular problems such as asthma and lung cancer. While the situation has improved in Europe and North America, it has worsened in Southern Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, and the Caribbean. At present, more than 70% of days globally are seeing pollution levels above what is safe. "In this study, we used an innovative machine learning approach to integrate multiple meteorological and geological information to estimate the global surface-level daily PM2.5 concentrations at a high spatial resolution of approximately 10km ×10km for global grid cells in 2000-2019, focusing on areas above 15 μg/m3, which is considered the safe limit by WHO," Guo said, while speaking about the methodology used. The situation is worse in southern and eastern Asia as more than 90% of days had daily PM 2.5 concentrations higher than the safe levels. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/wedding-bells-ring-in-16-rise-in-february-auto-sales-2-wheeler-sales-yet-to-hit-pre-pandemic-levels-fada/articleshow/98443213.cms">Wedding bells ring in 16% rise in February auto sales, 2 wheeler sales yet to hit pre-pandemic levels: FADA</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/xiaomi-13-pro-launched-in-india-price-launch-offers-and-specifications/articleshow/98296353.cms">Xiaomi 13 Pro launched in India – price, launch offers and specifications</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/mapmyindia-launches-gps-trackers-smart-helmet-kits-dash-cam-and-more-starting-at-2990/articleshow/98177325.cms">MapmyIndia launches GPS trackers, smart helmet kits, dash cam, and more starting at ₹2,990</a>

You are not safe from air pollution anywhere in the world, finds a new study

<ul><li>A recent report by Lancet on the impact of <keyword id="2411223" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution-in-India">air pollution in India</keyword> in 2019 says that 1·67 million deaths were attributable to <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword>, accounting for 17.8% of the total deaths.</li><li>It also resulted in a total loss of $36.8 billion, which was 1.36% of India's gross domestic product (GDP). </li><li>India’s national capital Delhi, which has ranked as one of the world’s most polluted cities several times over the last few years, saw its economy take a big hit due to the crisis.</li></ul>India and its rising air pollution crisis has cost not just the country’s economy but also resulted in the death of 1.67 million people. A recent report by Lancet on the impact of air pollution in India in 2019 says that 1·67 million deaths were attributable to air pollution, accounting for 17.8% of the total deaths in the country. “The increasing death rate attributable to ambient particulate matter pollution reflects increasing pollutant emissions from rising energy consumption, accelerated urbanisation, rapid industrialisation, and growing numbers of petroleum-powered vehicles,” said the report. And if that were not enough, it also resulted in a total loss of $36.8 billion, which was 1·36% of India's gross domestic product (GDP). The loss was calculated according to the premature deaths and their impact on India’s economy, loss in human capital as well as healthcare costs incurred by the people due to air pollution. India’s national capital Delhi, which has ranked as one of the world’s most polluted cities several times over the last few years, with the air pollution crisis also becoming a point of political debate saw its economy take a big hit due to the crisis. “Delhi had the highest per-capita economic loss due to air pollution, followed by Haryana in 2019, with 5.4 times variation across all states,” said the report. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/wipro-buyback-offer-details-and-700-million-metro-ag-deal-drives-share-price/articleshow/79911875.cms">Wipro offers 10% more to buy back shares and signs a $700 million deal with Metro AG – everything that’s driving the IT services stock higher today</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/there-are-one-of-only-17-indian-companies-out-of-500-that-aced-the-du-pont-test/articleshow/79911627.cms">There are one of only 17 Indian companies out of 500 that aced the Du Pont test</a>

Rising air pollution in India led to 1.67 million deaths and a loss of $36.8 billion in 2019, says Lancet report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new <keyword id="6355244" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="study">study</keyword> found a link between <keyword id="41285" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Wildfire">wildfire</keyword> smoke and <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> cases and deaths.</li><li>The study looked at more than 90 counties in the West from March to December last year.</li><li>In some counties, the authors found nearly 20% of COVID-19 cases were linked to wildfire smoke.</li></ul>Thousands of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the West last year may have been due to wildfire smoke, according to a new <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/33/eabi8789">study</a> published in the journal <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">Science</keyword> Advances on Friday.Harvard University researchers looked at data from 92 counties in California, Oregon, and Washington from March to December 2020, and found "strong evidence" that short-term exposure to fine particulate matter from wildfires amplified COVID-19 cases and deaths.In some of the counties, all of which were impacted by wildfires, the authors found nearly 20% of COVID-19 cases were linked to the increase in wildfire smoke. In certain counties, an even higher percentage of deaths were linked to the smoke.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/red-hot-job-market-preventing-employers-from-mandating-covid-vaccines">The red-hot job market is making employers afraid to mandate vaccines</a>Wildfires are known to produce high levels of pollution that can be harmful to human health, and earlier studies have linked <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> to more severe COVID-19 symptoms.In addition to worsening COVID-19 symptoms, air pollution can increase transmission as well."When there are more particles in the air, these microbes actually have a greater chance of getting into your lungs," Irva Hertz-Picciotto, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of California at Davis, told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/08/13/this-is-very-dangerous-combination-new-study-says-wildfire-smoke-leads-higher-covid-risks/">The Washington Post</a>. "There's a lot of plausibility that the wildfires, by massively increasing the amount of PM2.5 that people are breathing, could promote transmission of the virus."Experts also told The Post that wildfire smoke leads to people spending more time indoors, where the virus is more likely to spread.In 2020, California saw one of its worst-ever wildfire seasons. In 2021, wildfires have again begun spreading across the West, much of which is also undergoing an extreme drought.The study's authors noted that climate change has increased the risk of wildfires and therefore exposure to smoke."This illustrates the systemic and contingent nature of crises and how the effects of one global crisis (climate change) can have cascading effects on concurrent global crises (the COVID-19 pandemic) that play out in location-specific ways (increased COVID-19 cases and deaths due to wildfire)," the authors wrote.Have a news tip? Contact this reporter at <a href="mailto:kvlamis@insider.com?inline-read-more">kvlamis@insider.com</a>.

Thousands of COVID-19 cases and deaths may have been due to wildfire smoke, new study says

<keyword id="6358777" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="New-Delhi">New Delhi</keyword>, <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">Air pollution</keyword> caused by hazardous PM2.5 fine particulate matter led to the <keyword id="6355784" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="death">death</keyword> of 54,000 people in <keyword id="66" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi">Delhi</keyword> last year where pollution levels remained almost six times above the prescribed WHO limits, according to a new study. According to a <keyword id="69355" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Greenpeace">Greenpeace</keyword> Southeast Asia analysis of IQAir data, 1800 deaths per million were estimated due to PM2.5 air pollution in Delhi. "The PM2.5 air pollution claimed approximately 54,000 lives in India's national capital in 2020," the study said. PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. Exposure to PM2.5 is considered the most important environmental risk factor for deaths globally, and was attributed to 4.2 million premature deaths in 2015, the study said. The study noted that the damage is equally worrying in other Indian cities. "An estimated 25,000 avoidable deaths in Mumbai in 2020 have been attributed to air pollution. Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Lucknow estimated an approximate 12000, 11000, 11000, and 6700 avoidable deaths respectively due to polluted air," it said Noting that the air pollutant levels in Delhi remained almost six times above the prescribed WHO limits of 10 μg/m3 annual mean, the study said the estimated air pollution-related economic losses were USD 8.1 billion (Rs 58,895 crore), which amounts to 13 per cent of Delhi's annual GDP. "Despite a temporary reprieve in <keyword id="53848" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-quality">air quality</keyword> owing to the lockdown, the latest figures from the report underscore the need to act immediately. The need of the hour is to rapidly scale up renewable energy, bring an end to fossil fuel emissions and boost sustainable and accessible transport systems," the study said. Globally, approximate 160,000 deaths have been attributed to PM2.5 air pollution in the five most populous cities of Delhi (30 million), Mexico City (22 million), Sao Paulo (22 million), Shanghai (26 million) and Tokyo (37 million), it said. "Despite recording relatively better air quality this year due to strict lockdown, air pollution continues to be a serious public health issue which also drastically impacts our economy. For the governments of the day, it is crucial that investments are made towards green and sustainable solutions. When we choose fossil fuel over <keyword id="154273" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="clean-energy">clean energy</keyword>, our health is put at stake. Polluted air increases the likelihood of deaths due to cancer &amp; stroke, spike in asthma attacks and worsens severity of COVID-19 symptoms," said Avinash Chanchal, Climate Campaigner, <keyword id="6356502" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="greenpeace-india">Greenpeace India</keyword>. "We need to ensure our growth demand is fuelled by sustainable and cleaner sources of energy and cities should promote low cost , active and carbon-neutral transport options that prioritises walking, cycling, and public transport, the increased use of clean energy and clean transport will not only improve the public health but it will also strengthen the economy and public money" added Chanchal. Commenting on the revelations made by cost estimator CEO of IQAir, Frank Hammes says, "Breathing should not be deadly. The fact that poor air quality claimed an estimated 160,000 lives in the five largest cities alone should give us pause, especially in a year when many cities were seeing lower air pollution levels due to less economic activity. Governments, corporations and individuals must do more to eliminate the sources of air pollution and make our cities better places to live." To show the impact of air pollution related deaths on the economy, Greenpeace said it used the approach called "willingness-to-pay" which means a lost life year or a year lived with disability is converted to money by the amount that people are willing to pay in order to avoid this negative outcome. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-issues-new-guidelines-for-passengers-arriving-from-the-uk-brazil-europe-and-middle-east-countries/articleshow/81083248.cms">India issues new guidelines for passengers arriving from the UK, Brazil, Europe and Middle-East countries</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/not-just-a-tiktok-clone-says-chingari-app-founder-with-their-latest-shop-within-videos-feature-which-he-claims-is-the-next-big-thing-in-social-commerce/articleshow/81084432.cms">‘Not just a TikTok clone,’ says Chingari founder with their latest shop within videos feature which he claims is the next big thing in social commerce</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-f62-review-the-new-mid-range-killer/articleshow/81084382.cms">Samsung Galaxy F62 review – the new mid-range killer</a>

PM2.5 air pollution claimed 54,000 lives in Delhi last year, says study

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">Air pollution</keyword> was a cause of 9-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah's <keyword id="6355784" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="death">death</keyword>, a <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> coroner ruled Wednesday.</li><li>She died of an asthma attack in 2013.</li><li>It's the first time air <keyword id="13001" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="pollution">pollution</keyword> will be listed on a death certificate.</li><li>Nitrogen dioxide emissions and harmful airborne particles where Kissi-Debrah lived exceeded legal limits. These pollutants can <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/types-of-pollution-health-effects-2019-3">exacerbate asthma</a>.</li></ul>Seven years after 9-year-old Londoner Ella Kissi-Debrah suffered a fatal asthma attack, her death is making history. On Wednesday, coroner Philip Barlow ruled that air pollution killed the little girl. "Her death certificate will now become the first in the world to list air pollution as a cause of death," <a href="https://twitter.com/lunguk/status/1339194996436635648">the British Lung Foundation tweeted</a>. London mayor Sadiq Khan called it a <a href="https://twitter.com/sadiqkhan/status/1339183988594925570">"landmark moment."</a> Kissi-Debrah's mother, Rosamund, waged a long fight to get justice for her daughter and highlight the UK's air pollution problem. In 2014, experts determined that Ella had died of acute respiratory failure. But Rosamund pushed for another inquiry into her child's death, and her lawyers submitted evidence that air pollution levels where the family lived exceeded limits set by the European Union. This pollution, they maintained, played a role in Ella's fatal health problems. The coroner agreed: Barlow intends to list acute respiratory failure, severe asthma, and air pollution exposure as her causes of death, <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/courts/coroner-rules-air-pollution-played-part-in-ella-kissi-debrah-death/ar-BB1bYr9U?li=BBoPWjQ">PA Media reported</a>. "Air pollution was a significant contributory factor to both the induction and exacerbation of her asthma," Barlow said at the conclusion of the inquiry, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/16/uk/air-pollution-death-ella-kissi-debrah-uk-gbr-intl/index.html">according to CNN</a>. He noted car and truck exhaust as the primary source of pollutants. <h2>Seizures, hospital visits, and crippling health problems</h2> <div type="image" title="Rosamud Kissi-Debrah pollution death" height="3452" width="4603" msid="79788238" hostid="261"></div>When Ella was six, Rosamund rushed her to the hospital during a coughing fit. Doctors had to put Ella in a medically induced coma for three days. Over the next three years, Ella visited the hospital 26 more times for acute asthma and seizures. Rosamund said her daughter was disabled by 2012 and had to be carried piggyback-style to get around, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-55330945">the BBC reported</a>. Ella died on February 5, 2013. According to Stephen Holgate, a respiratory physician at Southampton General Hospital, the girl's asthma episodes were worse in the winter, when pollution levels spiked near her home on South Circular Road - one of the busiest roads in south London. He told the Southwark Coroner's Court, which oversaw the inquiry into Ella's death, that the cumulative effect of continuously breathing in toxic air caused her fatal asthma attack, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/16/girls-death-contributed-to-by-air-pollution-coroner-rules-in-landmark-case">the Guardian reported</a>. <h2>'Unlawful levels of air pollution'</h2> In a <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2019-05-02/high-court-to-decide-on-new-inquest-over-girls-air-pollution-death">2018 report</a>, Holgate found that air pollution levels at a monitoring station one mile from Kissi-Debrah's home consistently exceeded legal limits set by the European Union and the World Health Organization between 2010 and 2013. Holgate's report said "that without unlawful levels of air pollution, Ella would not have died." That finding informed Barlow's assessment, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/16/uk/air-pollution-death-ella-kissi-debrah-uk-gbr-intl/index.html">CNN reported</a>. "During the course of her illness between 2010 and 2013, she was exposed to levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in excess of <keyword id="6366244" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="who">WHO</keyword> guidelines," Barlow concluded, according to CNN. He added that the failure to get those levels below legal limits during the three years before Kissi-Debrah's fatal asthma attack may have contributed to her death. <div type="image" title="The Bronx pollution" height="1333" width="1777" msid="79788240" hostid="261"></div>London mayor Sadiq Khan <a href="https://twitter.com/sadiqkhan/status/1339183988594925570">tweeted</a> that Barlow's decision should be "a turning point" in the city's push to curb emissions, adding that "toxic air pollution is a public-health crisis." <h2>Air pollution kills 8.8 million people per year</h2>Factories and gas-powered vehicles produce air pollutants like nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrocarbons. These chemicals can react with sunlight to create smog, which lowers air quality to unhealthy levels. Kissi-Debrah is not the first person to die from air pollution - it causes an estimated <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/types-of-pollution-health-effects-2019-3">8.8 million deaths annually</a> worldwide. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz135/5372326">One study</a> showed that nearly 800,000 Europeans died from air pollution-related issues in 2015 alone. As of last year, <a href="https://www.who.int/airpollution/en/">91% of the world's population</a> lived in places where the air quality did not meet the WHO's safety standards. <div type="image" title="Woman smog skyline pollution mask" height="1414" width="2121" msid="79788241" hostid="261"></div>Studies conducted in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26453943">China</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20123607">Canada</a> show that children who breathe poor air are more likely to have breathing difficulties and asthma. <a href="https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-017-0210-z">A study involving New York City schoolchildren</a> also found that kids who breathe unhealthy air are more likely to need academic intervention. Research in the US <a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w24970">shows that dementia and cognitive decline rates</a> are higher in places with more air pollution as well. Most air pollution comes in the form of methane and carbon-dioxide emissions from burning coal, <a>oil</a>, and <a>natural gas</a>. These fossil fuels can <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/stories/fossil-fuels-dirty-facts">also emit pollutants</a> like benzene, a chemical linked to childhood leukemia and blood disorders, and formaldehyde, which is a carcinogen. <div type="image" title="Tuttle holds the inhaler for her son at their rental home in Steilacoom" height="3204" width="4285" msid="79788242" hostid="261"></div>When sunlight interacts with pollutants, chemical reactions can create ground-level ozone, a type of ozone that can trigger a <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution/health-effects-ozone-pollution">variety of breathing problems</a>, particularly for children and the elderly, <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-level-ozone-pollution/ground-level-ozone-basics#wwh">according to the Environmental Protection Agency</a>. Breathing in ground-level ozone can reduce a person's lung function and harm lung tissue, exacerbating conditions like emphysema and asthma.

You Searched For "air pollution deaths" and got 7 results

Air pollution kills thousands in Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata every year: Lancet study

Ashmita Gupta

Stroke cases increasing globally, air pollution, high temperatures driving numbers, notes Lancet Study

PTI

You are not safe from air pollution anywhere in the world, finds a new study

Sourabh Jain

Rising air pollution in India led to 1.67 million deaths and a loss of $36.8 billion in 2019, says Lancet report

Sanchita Dash

Thousands of COVID-19 cases and deaths may have been due to wildfire smoke, new study says

Kelsey Vlamis

PM2.5 air pollution claimed 54,000 lives in Delhi last year, says study

PTI

A 9-year-old girl's death certificate will be 'the first in the world' to list air pollution as a cause after a fatal asthma attack

Aylin Woodward

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