Pollution causes nine million deaths a year

by bernt & torsten

Every year, nine million people die prematurely due to various forms of environmental pollution. This is shown by a new study published in the journal The Lancet Planetary Health.

These include air pollution which is estimated to cause seven million deaths per year. This is an increase of 55 percent since the turn of the millennium.

Air and soil pollution are also a contributing factor, although premature deaths due to polluted water have decreased.

The researchers behind the study believe that pollution is a greater threat to human health than, for example, war, terrorism, drugs and several diseases.