A cocktail of pollutants

Particulate matter, or PM2.5, have a diameter less than a 30th of the width of a human hair and can penetrate deep into our lungs easily. The smallest particles cross into the bloodstream and affect our health, and some have even been detected in the blood of unborn children.

They can come from natural sources such as volcanoes and deserts but are also produced by human activities such as industry, cars, agriculture, domestic burning, and fires arising from climate change.

PM2.5 has been linked to a very wide range of health issues ranging from breathing problems like asthma, to reduced lung health, increased likelihood of developing cancer and heart disease, and an increased risk of developing many diseases including diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

The World Health Organization recommends that the annual average concentration of PM2.5 should not exceed a concentration of 5 micrograms per cubic meter air (5 ug/m3). This new guideline is a concentration which is generally classed as very good air quality. It is important to remember that there is NO safe level of PM2.5 recognized by medical science.

At present, 99% of the world’s population live with concentrations above this value, with the highest PM2.5 levels typically found in low- and middle-income countries.