Air pollution
Air pollution

Air pollution in Viet Nam

Air pollution leads people to be exposed to fine particles in polluted air that penetrate deep into the lungs and cardiovascular system, causing diseases including stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and respiratory infections. Industry, transportation, coal power plants and household solid fuel usage are major contributors to air pollution. Air pollution continues to rise at an alarming rate, and affects economies and people’s quality of life.

Air pollution threatens the health of people in many parts of the world. New estimates in 2018 reveal that 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants. Both ambient (outdoor) and household (indoor) air pollution are responsible for about 7 million deaths globally per year; in the Western Pacific Region alone, around 2.2 million people die each year. In Vietnam, around 60 000 deaths each year are air pollution-related.

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Indoor smoke

In addition to outdoor air pollution, indoor smoke from household air pollution is a serious health risk for some 3 billion people who cook and heat their homes with biomass fuels and coal. Some 3.8 million premature deaths were attributable to household air pollution in 2016. Almost all of the burden was in low-middle-income countries. Household air pollution is also a major source of outdoor air pollution in both urban and rural areas.

 

Ambient (outdoor) air pollution in both cities and rural areas…

In both cities and rural areas was estimated to cause 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide per year in 2016; this mortality is due to exposure to small particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5), which cause cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and cancers.

 

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