A new study conducted by the University of Surrey has revealed some startling statistics about the rate of air pollution exposure in Asian nations. Though it was already a well-known fact that Asian residents were exposed to more air pollution on average than either Americans or Europeans, the new research concluded that the difference was much larger than previously thought.
This study found that Asian citizens and more specifically those who drive vehicles regularly are exposed to as much as nine times the amount of overall air pollution that their American counterparts are on a daily basis. Most important were disparities in exposure to particulate matter, a form of air pollution that is particularly harmful to humans. The study concluded that Asian cities, especially Hong Kong, had levels of ultra-fine particulate matter that were up to four times higher than cities in other developed parts of the world. Indian cities such as New Delhi were also heavily exposed, with traffic pollution there producing up to five times the amount of black carbon particulate matter as in American and European cities.
These extremely high rates of air pollution exposure are leading to serious negative health outcomes in Asian countries. In low-income Asian countries, the World Health Organization estimates that roughly 88 percent of premature deaths are linked directly or indirectly to air pollution exposure. As the number of vehicles on Asian roads continues to rise in the coming years, there’s a good chance that these numbers will only increase as a result.
These statistics clearly illustrate why it’s so important for residents of Asian countries to find ways to protect themselves from the air pollution they are exposed to every day. If you live in China or India, a home air purifier is even more essential to you than it is to residents of less-polluted nations. Luckily, several of our top-quality air purifiers can be shipped to these two countries upon request. Feel free to contact us directly about the units we can ship to these countries and for personalized product recommendations.