According to their website, IQAir is working to change the effects of poor air quality worldwide. As a direct quote from their "About us" section : "Today, we operate the world's largest free real-time air quality information platform and engage an ever-growing number of global citizens, organizations, and governments."
In order to fight air pollution, IQAir partners with international entities such as the United Nations Environmental Program, UN Habitat and Greenpeace and brings in its technological input. Indeed, not only are they spreading the message across the globe, about air pollution and its dangers, but also provides "practical solutions that help create living and working environments that are safe, healthy, and enjoyable", like room air purifiers, in-duct air filters, particle counters or air quality monitors, for pollution measurements.
2020 MOST POLLUTED CITIES IN THE WORLD
Their latest global study about the quality of the air we breathe has been released and gives the list of most polluted countries and cities in 2020. We'll focus here on the most polluted cities in the world. And they are basically all located in the same eastern Asian countries : India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, at least for most of the first 200 cities of the list.
There's also a live air quality and pollution city ranking available on the IQAir website and the first 10 cities are likewise located in the same geographical area of eastern Asia.
Check this map to figure out where the 50 most polluted cities are located. 25 of them are concentrated in a radius of 320 km / 190 miles in northern India and around New Delhi. The report claims that it is from unhealthy to hazardous living in this area. Click on the map to open it.
WHAT ARE THE POLLUTANTS ?
So you might ask, what are the air pollutants IQAir is measuring to publish this list. Well, these are of 3 origins : Industries, transportation and households. These human activities produce a mixture of micro particulate matter that will have dire consequences on the population's health, depending on the elements the mixture is composed of.
HOUSEHOLDS
According to the World Health Organization, household air pollution was the source of 3.8 million deaths in 2016, because of solid fuel used for cooking. What is considered solid fuel includes wood, coal, animal dung, charcoal, and crop wastes. People exposed "to smoke from incomplete combustion of solid fuels is linked with a range of conditions including acute and chronic respiratory diseases."
INDUSTRY & TRANSPORTATION
Then outdoor pollution is the result of industrial activity and transportation means, such as cars and trucks. Fine particulate matter of less than 2.5µm (PM2.5) is the main cause of most pollution related diseases, from disabilities to deaths due to respiratory infections, for individuals of all ages.
PM2.5
This fine particulate matter is highly concentrated in urban areas and will increase mortality rates with diseases such as respiratory infections, lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It is so small that it will very easily penetrate deep into the human respiratory system, causing all sorts of lethal conditions.
By the way, the least polluted regions in the world with PM2.5, are Japan, most European countries, Northern and Central America countries. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone are main air pollutants of concern there.
Thumbnail image by Chris LeBoutillier from Pexels
