Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf, are just visible through the haze and smog in London, Friday, April 10, 2015. (AP/Alastair Grant)
(REPORT) — An estimated 300 premature deaths were associated with a serious UK air pollution episode in 2014, parliament has been told.
In this general view of London looking towards Canary Wharf which is just visible through the haze and smog in London, Friday, April 10, 2015. (AP/Alastair Grant)
(REPORT) — London has broken legal air pollution limits for 2017 within five days, according to King’s College London.
The annual limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was breached on Brixton Road in south London at around 9pm on Thursday.
The man-made environmental catastrophe is the severest issue facing humanity. It should be the number one priority for governments, but despite repeated calls from scientists, environmental groups and concerned citizens for years, short-term policies and economic self-interest are consistently given priority over the integrity of the planet and the health of the population.
Environmental inequality
New research from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) shows that 300 million children – 1 in 7 globally – live in areas with “toxic” levels of air pollution. [1] [2]
The poorer a child is, the more likely he or she is to be surrounded by filthy air, and the greater the likelihood that he or she will suffer health problems as a result.
Over the past 16 years, the number of children diagnosed with cancer in the U.K. has shot up 40%, a new study shows; and experts are warning of a cancer “epidemic.”
The reason? Modern life is making people sick.
Poor weather, cell phones, radios, alcohol, and jerks: we think of these as some of the most common causes of car accidents. However, scientists at the London School of Economics say that air pollution, of all things, should be added to that list.
Researchers say they looked at 5 years’ worth of data and found that when levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) rose just a microgram per cubic meter, the number of car crashes increased by 2%. [1]
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 9 out of 10 people are currently breathing in toxic air.
According to recent reports, more people die from air pollution than malaria and HIV/AIDS. The statistics show that 3 million people die prematurely each year from the toxic air, and the number could double by 2050 if no efforts are made to stabilize it. In the realm of good news on this issue, scientists have now created an inhaler that could help protect your lungs from the deadliest effects of air pollution. [1]
Many cities around the world are afflicted with air pollution, leading to an early death for as many as 200,000 people each yeah in the U.S. alone. Now, there’s even more of a reason to be concerned. According to a recent study, toxic nanoparticles have been found in “abundance” in human brain tissue.
A new study in the journal Annals of the American Thoracic Society shows that tighter air pollution standards would save the lives of thousands of Americans. [1]
