What you need to know

British studies have shed light on the health consequences of exposure to air pollution and the benefits of reducing airborne toxins.

Air pollution is a global problem that has been shown to cause a range of health and environmental issues and is linked to increased rates of cancer, as well as heart, lung and reproductive problems. Research has connected it to 1.5 million deaths annually.

Contaminated air can also exacerbate existing health issues.

In 2020, an inquest listed air pollution as the cause of death for a 9-year-old girl with asthma in Southeast London.

Pollutants may also drive declining brain health.

One recently published study led by researchers from University College London has found a link between exposure to two common pollutants and below-average cognition among older Britons.

Among these toxins is nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a gas released by petrol-powered vehicles, industrial processes and fossil fuel burning.

The other is fine particulate matter — also known as PM2.5 — a cover-all term used to describe many substances released by burning processes that are........

© Deutsche Welle