2018-05-01

Finding Air Pollution Solutions by Tracking Particulates and Gases

An estimated 95 % of people live in areas where outdoor fine particulate concentrations exceed the air quality guideline of 10 µg/m³ set by the World Health Organization. Almost 60 % of people live in areas where fine particulate matter exceeds even the least stringent WHO interim air quality target of 35 µg/m³. These figures are presented in the State of Global Air 2018 project, and show that most of the world's population lives in unhealthy areas when it comes to air quality.

Air pollution is a complex mixture of particulates and gases. PM_2.5 and ozone are often measured as indicators of ambient pollution levels. The levels and composition of these pollutants vary from place to place, depending on the sources, for example power plants, refineries, heavy industry, traffic, waste incineration, weather conditions, and how they mix in the atmosphere.

Tracking and reporting pollutant levels over time are important in order to find solutions to reduce exposure of air pollution to human health. The State of Global Air project also uses the levels of PM_2.5, ozone, and household air pollution to estimate how air pollution affects the health of populations in areas around the globe. The data is accessible to scientists, regulators, and citizens and allows them to compare air quality and health across the world and to follow how they change over time.

The State of Global Air project is a joint effort by the Health Effects Institute, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), and the University of British Columbia. It is based on data from IHME's Global Burden of Disease, an extensive scientific analysis of over 300 diseases and causes of death in 195 different countries and territories

Read the full article and find more information on the State of Global Air website >>

Author

Bengt Löfstedt
OPSIS AB

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