In the News
November 19, 2018
The newly created University of Chicago’s Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) found that global life expectancy has dropped 1.8 years because of the increase in air pollutants.
While people in Asia suffer the worst from air pollution, with residents in parts of India and China expected to lose up to six to 11 years of life expectancy, people in the United States can also expect to lose at least a year of life because of poor air quality, according to a report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC).
There are many sources of air pollution, but particulate matter (PM) air pollution that comes primarily from fossil fuels is the deadliest, the study notes.
“Its microscopic particles penetrate deep into the lungs, bypassing the body’s natural defenses,” the study says. “From there, it can enter the bloodstream, causing lung disease, cancer, strokes and heart attacks. There is also evidence of detrimental effects on cognition.”
Continue reading at The Weather Channel…