Science Snippet: Diseases Related to Pollution

Globally, pollution is linked to 16 percent of all premature deaths, and 92 percent of such pollution deaths are in low- or middle-income countries. Air, soil and water pollution are worldwide threats. Three billion people around the world rely on wood, charcoal, agricultural waste, animal dung or coal for their household cooking needs – all energy sources that pollute the air they breathe. Four million – many of them children – die prematurely from such pollution. Even in developed countries, people who live within a mile or so of heavily traveled roadways have more health problems than those who live a mile or more away, and pregnant women are more likely to have children with autism.

Source: “Pollution-related disease presents global environmental challenge” at nsf.gov, 2018.