Less than 1% of the land area can be considered safe for the concentration of particulate pollutants. In this respect informs TASS citing a publication in The Lancet Planetary Health.
Scientists have studied atmospheric pollution caused by PM2.5 particles (size up to 2.5 microns). Doctors have long found that high concentrations of these particles in the inhaled air cause cardiovascular diseases, and also penetrate many human organs with unknown consequences. The source of the data is the 2000-2020 meteorological data, as well as surveys conducted by echo stations in 65 countries.
It turns out that most people live in areas where the particle concentration exceeds the doctor-recommended 5 µg/m3.
“In 2019, only 0.18% of the land area and 0.001% of the world’s population were exposed to average annual PM2.5 exposure at concentrations below 5 μg/m3,” the scientists write. The authors noted that the highest levels of harmful particles were found in East Asia, South Asia and North Africa. Australia, New Zealand, other parts of Oceania and South America are among the regions with the lowest average annual PM2.5 in the air, with the number of days per year above the norm increasing. In South and East Asia, daily PM2.5 concentrations were above 15 µg/m3 for more than 90% of the days in 2000, 2010 and 2019.
The authors hope their work will draw the attention of authorities to air pollution with microscopic particles, which requires the introduction of separate environmental standards.
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