Nearly the entire global population is exposed to very fine air and harmful air pollutants that can be harmful to health, a new study found. The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal, found that about 99 percent of the global population is exposed to these tiny and harmful air pollutants, which are known as particulate matter (PM) 2.5. Daily levels of the harmful air pollutants decreased in Europe and North American during this time period, but increased in southern Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America and the Caribbean. “With this information, policymakers, public health officials, and researchers can better assess the short-term and long-term health effects of air pollution and develop air pollution mitigation strategies.”Guo added that that unsafe air pollutant levels could change in some areas based on the season. “We also recorded relatively high PM 2.5 air pollution in August and September in South America and from June to September in sub-Saharan Africa,” Guo said in the release.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 07, 2023 22:13 UTC