Pollution - National Geographic Society
WebMar 6, 2024 · Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials are called pollutants. Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash. They can also be created by human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories. Pollutants damage the quality of air, water, and land.
Pollution - Wikipedia
WebPollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. [1] Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally ...
Pollution | Definition, History, Types, & Facts | Britannica
WebMar 30, 2024 · Pollution, addition of any substance or form of energy to the environment at a rate faster than it can be dispersed or stored in a harmless form. The major kinds of pollution are usually classified by environment and include air, water, and land pollution. Learn more about the history of pollution.
Air pollution - World Health Organization (WHO)
WebApr 22, 2024 · Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. WHO data shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants. WHO is working with countries to monitor air pollution and improve air quality.
How air pollution is destroying our health
WebOct 29, 2018 · Air pollution is hard to escape, no matter how rich an area you live in. It is all around us. Microscopic pollutants in the air can slip past our body’s defences, penetrating deep into our respiratory and circulatory system, damaging our lungs, heart and brain.
Air Pollution - Our World in Data
WebAir pollution is one of the world's largest health and environmental problems. It develops in two contexts: indoor (household) air pollution and outdoor air pollution. In this topic page, we look at the aggregate picture of air pollution – both indoor and outdoor.
Plastic pollution on course to double by 2030 | UN News
WebOct 21, 2021 · Plastic pollution in oceans and other bodies of water continues to grow sharply and could more than double by 2030, according to an assessment released on Thursday by the UN...
Air pollution | Effects, Causes, Definition, & Facts | Britannica
WebMay 3, 2024 · Air pollution, release into the atmosphere of various gases, finely divided solids, or finely dispersed liquid aerosols at rates that exceed the natural capacity of the environment to dissipate and dilute or absorb them. High concentrations can cause undesirable health, economic, or aesthetic effects.
10 Things To Know About Air Pollution - World Health …
WebThe key pollutants include particulate matter, a mix of solid and liquid droplets arising mainly from fuel combustion; nitrogen dioxide from road traffic; ozone at ground level, caused by the reaction of sunlight with pollutants from industrial facilities and vehicle emissions; and sulphur dioxide, an invisible gas from burning fossil fuels ...
Air Pollution: Everything You Need to Know - NRDC
WebOct 31, 2023 · Learn about what causes air pollution and how to help reduce the effects. How smog, soot, greenhouse gases, and other top air pollutants are affecting the planet—and your health.
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