An interactive map released by the World Health Organization confirms that almost everyone in the world breathes polluted air. The map was made public last Tuesday, and it proves that 92% of the earth’s population is no longer breathing fresh air. Outdoor air quality is not within the WHO guidelines anymore, and that means a lot of people are inhaling polluted air.
Dr. Maria Neira, the director for the Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, states that it is a health issue because air pollution is harmful to the major organs that include the lungs, heart and brain.
The WHO reports that air pollution accounts for 3 million deaths, annually. These cases are linked to outdoor air exposure.
Neira also added, “What is still surprising is the fact that we have been alerting about these horrible figures for a while now, and it’s not improving.” WHO noticed an apparent rise of 8% in air pollution levels from 2008 to 2013.
The WHO map was based on the annual data for particulate matter or PM. This is an air pollutant – it can be in the form of dust or pollen that we see. These are pretty small particles. There are different types as well: PM10 is said to be one-seventh the thickness of human hair whereas the diameter of PM2.5 is fewer than 2.5 micrometers.
The information was based from the year 2008 until 2015, within 3,000 locations in 103 countries.
Dr. Neira mentioned, “With more accurate methodology and satellite information and better calculation of the estimates and using the standards, now we can be more confident in the data.”
The measurements were taken and used for the map because particulate matter is a serious public health risk that concerns everyone around the globe. WHO air quality guidelines state that PM2.5 levels should only be within 10 micrograms per cubic meter, as this is the most dangerous kind. This PM includes pollutants that can affect the lungs and cardiovascular system. The new map reveals awareness that this is not the case – 92% of the earth’s population is now living in locations that exceed the air quality guidelines.
Jim Zhang, a professor of global and environmental health at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and the Duke Global Health Institute said, “We also have data to show how PM2.5 affects the lung and the cardiovascular health. For example, PM2.5 exposure increases tissue and systemic inflammation, increases oxidative damage to DNA and cell membrane lipids, increases the risk for thrombosis.” He continued, “We also started to see cumulating evidence that PM2.5 lowers birth weight and impairs metabolic, cognitive and immune function.”
Stuart Batterman, professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan said, “Those health effects can include aggravation or causation of asthma, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, hospitalizations and death.”
Zhang and Batterman were not involved in the WHO map.
The WHO found that 90% of the deaths were related to air pollution. These occur in places that belong to low- and middle-income countries particularly in Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions.
Air quality is not only affected by human activity. Natural dust and dust storms are responsible for influencing air quality as well.
Batterman said, “Many of the places that have high levels of pollution have very little monitoring data, and this includes countries highlighted in the report, including most of Africa and much of the developing world.”
“Air pollution is causing millions of deaths per year, mostly but not exclusively in the developing world, due to very poorly controlled combustion as well as indoor air problems from the use of biomass fuels indoors, such as wood, dung and coal,” he added.
Based on the map, major cities are included as well. Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Paris and London are affected.
There is a need to improve air quality but this can be achieved once the sources of pollution have been identified.
Improving air quality means assessing the sources of pollution. Zhang mentioned that government involvement is necessary as regulations will facilitate the progress of cleaner technologies and enforce usage of pollution-controlled devices.
One major example is the vehicular traffic in urban cities. With the help of the government authorities, pollution can be reduced by decreasing the number of vehicles through the use of public transportation, or electric vehicles.
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