Six million people die each year due to poor air quality. This, as reported by Phys.org, said Maria Neira, director of the WHO Department of Public Health and Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. According to the expert, more than 90 percent of the Earth's air is polluted.
Experts came to this conclusion based on the analysis of data collected using satellites and ground sensors from three thousand points around the globe. Scientists' attention was focused on the content of particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5). They contain toxins such as sulfate and black carbon, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and cardiovascular system. Air quality is considered poor at a concentration of 10 micrograms per cubic meter.
WHO experts have found no evidence that face masks can effectively filter polluted air. In addition, being indoors also does not save you from smog and other types of smoke.
The problem is most acute in cities in developing countries, but the air condition in rural areas of Western Europe and the United States also leaves much to be desired, experts say. WHO is calling on governments to reduce the number of vehicles on the road, improve technologies to reduce emissions and use cleaner fuels.