Air Pollution Is In The House

April 23, 2014- Household and ambient air pollution has replaced poor diet as the number one preventable health risk worldwide.

In a news article entitled "Air Pollution Replaces Poor Diet As World’s Largest Preventable Health Risk," Forbes.com is reporting on data released by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Here are some highlights of the WHO's announcement:

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The WHO estimates that in 2012 dirty air killed 7 million; that is, one for every eight human lives lost that year. Household air pollution, primarily the result of burning solid fuels for heating and cooking, was the cause of death for 4.3 million in 2012. Outdoor air pollution was the cause of death for the remaining 3.7 million killed.

• Low- and middle-income countries in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia accounted for 77% of the deaths attributable to household air pollution by region.

  

• In 2010, dirty air ranked behind poor diet, high blood pressure and tobacco smoke, according to findings by the Gates Foundation.
  

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Particulate matter (airborne particles from diesel engines and coal-fired power plants) are the most harmful air pollutants because they accumulate in the respiratory system and are closely associated with excessive premature mortality.

• Heart disease, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, respiratory infections and several other diseases have been linked to air pollutants.

  

Durwood Zaelke, President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, tells Forbes, "Reducing air pollution, including black carbon soot pollution, can save millions of lives a year, reduce crop losses significantly, and cut the rate of global warming in half and the rate of warming in the Arctic by two-thirds over the next few decades."
 

Read the full Forbes.com post here.

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