Air pollution is caused by a mix of hazardous substances from both human-made and natural sources. The primary sources of human-made air pollution include vehicle emissions, fuel oils and natural gas to heat homes, by-products of manufacturing and power generation, particularly coal-fueled power plants, and fumes from chemical production. Nature also releases hazardous substances into the air, such as smoke from wildfires, ash and gases from volcanic eruptions, and gases emitted from decomposing organic matter in soils.
The pollutants that cause air pollution include solid or liquid particles and certain gases suspended in the air. These particles and gases can come from car and truck exhaust, factories, wildfires, and other sources. Burning fossil fuels releases gases and chemicals into the air, which is a major cause of air pollution. Some of the particles and gases come directly from these sources, but others form through chemical reactions in the air.
Pollutants of major public health concern include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. Air pollution has a huge impact on our health, reducing quality of life and cutting lives short. It aggravates breathing conditions and increases the risk of asthma attacks leading to more hospital admissions. Prolonged exposure can cause serious medical conditions, such as cancer, heart attacks, and strokes. In fact, one in three deaths from strokes, lung cancer, and chronic respiratory disease globally are caused by air pollution.
