Air pollution, whether caused by humans or other sources such as forest fires, is linked to about 135 million premature deaths worldwide between 1980 and 2020, according to a University of Singapore study released today. The study is one of the most comprehensive to date on air quality and climate, drawing on 40 years of data to provide an overview of the health effects of fine particles.
The fine particulate matter problem “is linked to about 135 million premature deaths worldwide” between 1980 and 2020, the university said in a press release about the study, published in the journal Environment International.
Fine PM2.5 particles (less than 2.5 microns in diameter) are harmful to human health if inhaled because they are small enough to enter the bloodstream. They come from vehicle and industrial emissions, as well as from natural sources such as fires or storm dust.
The study found that these people died younger than normal life expectancy from diseases that could have been treated or prevented, including stroke, heart and lung disease and cancer. According to the study, weather phenomena helped increase the number of these deaths by 14 percent.
Asia has “the highest number of premature deaths attributable to PM2.5 pollution” with more than 98 million deaths, mostly in China and India, she said. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Japan also have many premature deaths, between two and five million people to be exact.
Researchers from universities in Hong Kong, Great Britain and China participated in the research. According to the World Health Organization, “the combined effects of air and indoor air pollution” are linked to 6.7 million premature deaths each year worldwide.
