7 Ways Air Pollution Hinders Your Health

Outdoor air pollution was recently classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)­the World Health Organisation’s specialized cancer agency. This was done after experts concluded that there is sufficient scientific evidence to support the association between such pollution and cancer. For the last 20 years, researchers at CREAL, an ISGlobal Alliance research centre, have been studying the effects of pollution on adults and children with a view to improving the public health of the population as a whole.

The following graphic illustrates the 7 ways pollution negatively affects our health.

1) Air pollution has a direct effect on mortality and hospital admissions.

2) Citizens from the most polluted cities have up to a 30% greater risk of dying than those from low polluted cities.

3) Traffic is the source with the highest acute effects on mortality.

4) Effects of particles on human health depend on their size.

5) Particullate pollution has clear cardiovascular effects.

6) Risk of lung function problems is higher in polluted areas.

7) Environmental interventions improve air quality and health.

Related Event

On 30-31 October 2013 hosts the B·Debate: Green Cities, Healthy People - Planning Healthy Urban Settings.