Pollution racks up 9 million deaths a year worldwide
Pollution causes 9 million deaths around the world every year, according to a landmark new study which found that one in six of all deaths are linked to polluted air, water and soil, EurActiv reports.
Research carried out by leading medical journal The Lancet has found that an estimated 9 million deaths globally are caused by pollution. Equivalent to one in six of all deaths.
The study is the first of its kind to take into account all forms of pollution, including air, water, soil and occupational, as well as their effects on health, society and the economy.
More specifically, it found that pollution is responsible for more than 400,000 preventable deaths in the European Union alone, This tallies to nearly 8% of all mortalities, with air pollution being the chief culprit.
These deaths are mostly linked to non-communicable diseases such as heart problems, strokes, lung cancer and pulmonary disease.
In the EU, Germany, Italy, the UK, Poland and France have the dubious honour of topping the list of most deaths attributable to pollution.
