LettersAir pollution is still a silent killer that needs global action
Readers discuss the urgent need to accelerate steps to combat air pollution, Hong Kong’s response to Japan’s release of waste water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, and the steep rise in food prices in IndiaClimate changeLettersPublished: 11:30am, 8 Sep, 2023Why you can trust SCMP
On Clean Air Day yesterday, the harsh reality of outdoor air pollution and its devastating effects was inescapable.
Whether we live in rural or urban areas, the air we breathe could increase the risks of stroke, heart attack and respiratory diseases, and could even affect our brains, by accelerating dementia, for example.Air pollution is estimated to cause up to 29 per cent of all lung cancer deaths, and recent research has found that airborne particulate matter, known as PM2.5, can trigger lung cancer even in non-smokers. Areas with high levels of PM2.5 also experience higher rates of other types of cancer.