Air pollution has become an environmental issue that local governments cannot ignore
The World Health Organization published a report last year that collected data from more than 4,300 cities and 108 countries, saying that more than 90% of the world’s population is breathing dirty air every day, causing as many as 7 million people die each year from air pollution. As for the big cities with the most serious air pollution in the world, Delhi, India and Cairo, Egypt. The report also specifically named China, referring to the fact that the smog problem has caused widespread concern in the past few years, tightening the pollutant discharge standards and calling on India to follow suit.
WHO analyzes 4300 city data
In fact, in the early years, the School of Public Health of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong also launched the “Dali Index” to assess the level of air pollution in Hong Kong and its impact. The data show that in the past five years, air pollution has caused an average of more than HK$2.3 billion in direct economic losses to Hong Kong each year, resulting in more than 2,300 Hong Kong deaths.
Respiratory specialist Liang Zongcun said that the more serious the air pollution in Hong Kong, the more people will be treated for respiratory diseases
PM2.5 is a carcinogen that can directly penetrate the tiny bronchi of the lungs and even reach the alveoli. Long-term inhalation can cause serious complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis and heart disease, and has the greatest impact on people with asthma and lung disease.
According to the data, the pollutants emitted by automobiles and factories and the air pollutants generated by burning wood are the culprit of many diseases. Two-and-a-half cases of heart disease and stroke, nearly 30% of lung cancer and more than 40% of deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are related to unclean air.