• The WHO calculates that air pollution kills 8 million people annually, but this is almost certainly a serious underestimate.
• The primary cause of air pollution is the burning of fossil fuels.
• China and Indonesia between them account for one-third of all plastic pollution in the ocean. Overall, 80 percent of plastic pollution comes from 20 countries.
• The American Lung Association estimates that around 40 percent of the U.S. population (134 million people) are at risk of disease and premature death due to the unhealthy state of air quality.
• If you are living in Los Angeles or San Francisco, 1 in 3 breaths of air you take can be traced directly back to Asia. This air contains 75 percent of the black carbon pollution that reaches the West Coast.
• Every year, Americans generate 220 million tires, 1.8 billion disposable diapers and 30 billion foam cups.
• Most global deaths from household pollution occur in poorer countries and are caused by wood burning on open fires for cooking.
• In 2005, the WHO laid down global guidelines for particulate pollution along with interim targets to enable countries to gauge their progress. As of Sept 2020, the air breathed by 81 percent of China’s population still fails to meet the first interim target.
• 21 of the top 30 most polluted cities in the world are located in India and 5 are in Pakistan.