A new study of the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that nine out of every 10 people on the planet breathe high levels of polluted air and air pollution kills 7 million people each year. It is concerned that air pollution level remain very high in many parts of the world and it would push for major changes for public health system. Particle pollution can lead to amongst the others, lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary discarder. These outdoor particulates are mainly created by traffic, manufacturing, farming and power generation. People in Asia and Africa are currently facing the highest level of death linked with air pollution. But cities in the Americas and in Europe also have air pollution levels that are beyond the WHO criteria. 

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The WHO data show that many US cities are included on the most polluted cities in the world, e.g. Los Angeles, Bakersfield and Fresno, California; Indianapolis; and the Elkhart-Goshen area of Indiana. Cities like Peshawar and Rawalpindi in Pakistan, have some of the highest particulate air pollution levels in the database. Varanasi and Kanpur in India; Cairo; and AI Jubail, Saudi Arabia, also show high levels of air pollution

According to the WHO data, cities on the cleaner-air list include Wenden, Arizona, Cheyenne, Wyoming, the Eureka-Arcata-Fortuna area of California; Battlement Mesa, Colorado; Wasilla, Alaska; Gillette; and Kapaa, Hawaii. 

The other source of air pollution in many developing countries is in people’s homes (indoor pollution), i.e. cooking and lighting. To address these issues, many cities are monitoring air pollution. Beside what could be done by the policy makers, local people can also contribute to reduce air pollution, e.g. replacing driving with biking, walking or taking public transportation, staying away where air pollution levels are high, and installing filtration equipment.