Air Pollution

6 Pages 1517 Words

in São Paulo, Brazil, have shown that a 75 µg/m³ increase in concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was related to a 30% increase in deaths from respiratory illness in children under five years of age. o In adult non-smokers chronic exposure to environmental tobacco smoke increases mortality from lung cancer by between 20% and 30%. o Air pollution also damages plant and animal life and contaminates water sources, threatening economic and social welfare as well as health. The effects of air pollution depend on levels of exposure and susceptibility of the exposed population. People suffering from respiratory conditions such as asthma, both the very young and old, and people living in poverty, are particularly at risk. Air pollution also affects the workforce, and indoor air pollution is the primary cause in as many as 50 million cases of occupational chronic respiratory disease each year – a third of all occupational illnesses. These are widespread, debilitating and affect people in their social and economic prime of life. They are preventable with a minimum of resources.Air pollution and pollutants The comm...