Alas, the air in the big cities of the world does not give off frosty freshness. Moreover, from year to year, air quality in megacities continues to deteriorate. And one of them even earned the title "the dirtiest city in the world." This is recorded by the World Health Organization (WHO) in a database of which there are over 4,300 cities.
WHO experts say that nine out of ten people on the planet breathe heavily polluted air. Because of this, seven million people die every year, for the most part they are residents of poor countries in Asia and Africa.
Here is a list of the dirtiest cities in the world. It is based on data on an average annual level of PM2.5 - particles of 2.5 micrometers or even a smaller diameter. It is so small that it can get into the alveoli, and cause serious health problems.
10. Hannah, India - 114 micrograms PM2.5 per cubic meter
This ancient city, which appeared 500 years ago, is currently the largest grain market in Asia. In addition, he is known for the fact that the annual level of fine particles of PM2.5 is 114 micrograms per cubic meter, which is much higher than the WHO recommendation - no more than 10 μg / m3.
9. Cairo, Egypt - 117 mcg / m3
The overpopulated capital of Egypt suffers from many environmental problems, such as noise pollution and chemical emissions from thousands of plants and factories, desert dust that generously covers the entire city, and waste management.
The last problem is especially acute in the so-called "city of garbage collectors" - a suburb of Cairo, in which there are "ballots" that sort garbage mainly by hand. There are frequent outbreaks of hepatitis, and even cases of leprosy (leprosy) have been recorded.
8. Ludhiana, India - 122 mcg / m3
One of the dirtiest cities in the world suffers not only from air pollution, but also from water pollution. The industrial enterprises are to blame for this, of which there are a lot in Ludhiana. Ironically, they also provided the city with the glory of one of the richest in India.
Ludhiana is the largest bicycle production center in Asia, and many parts for German BMW and Mercedes cars are also produced here.
7. Delhi - 123 mcg / m3
Currently, there is no such thing as fresh air in the Indian capital. Overpopulation (this problem is acute for most megacities), piles of garbage, a large number of public and private transport, make the environment in Delhi considered one of the worst on the planet. Not only people suffer from this, but also animals and plants. About 2,530 species of animals and 366 plants in India are endangered.
In November 2017, Delhi was under a dense cloud of dirty gray smog for several days, which even led to the closure of schools. Four factors contributed to this:
- climatic - high humidity, coupled with strong winds;
- cultural - holding a festival of lights, during which people launched fireworks and detonated firecrackers;
- social - burning garbage in poor neighborhoods, people tried to somehow warm themselves;
- Anthropogenic - the operation of the Badarpur coal CHPP, the burning of garbage and crop residues in the fields, the demolition of buildings.
As a result, the level of air pollution at this time exceeded WHO standards by at least 30 times.
6. Novi Sad, Serbia - 142 mcg / m3
Surprisingly, the sixth place in the rating of “gryaznul-cities” is not an Indian, or even an African metropolis, but a city located in the north of Serbia. It is a major industrial and financial center of the country. Many tourists call it one of the most beautiful in Serbia. However, fetid dumps and construction debris on the roadsides somewhat spoil the idyllic picture, which can be seen walking through the well-maintained urban center.
5. Raipur, India - 144 mcg / m3
The number of Raipur residents is constantly growing, and the city is having difficulty meeting their sanitation needs. And cement plants and enterprises for the production and processing of marble and granite generously "supply" the air with chemical emissions.
4. Easter, Bhutan - 150 mcg / m3
The city in the southern part of Bhutan is the only industrial city in the country, since there are several branches of heavy industry. The Tashi Group, the largest privately owned company in Bhutan, operates a chemical plant, a ferroalloy plant and a soft drinks plant. There are 26 factories in the city.
As a side effect of their activities, the city is suffocating from bad air, and lack of water, as it is required to service enterprises.
3. Jubail, Saudi Arabia - 152 mcg / m3
Oil is the word inextricably linked with the city of Jubail. Although many factories producing lubricating oils, gasoline and diesel fuel are not very useful for the urban atmosphere, they are useful for the country's budget.
Despite the dirty air, Jubail is one of the most comfortable cities in Saudi Arabia. There are lagoons with beaches and beautiful gardens that are irrigated with desalinated water.
2. Allahabad, India - 170 mcg / m3
The birthplace of a prominent political figure Jawaharlal Nehru and one of the most important places for Indian pilgrims is beautifully called "The Garden of Allah" (translated from Arabic and Persian).
However, the city is located at the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna, one of the dirtiest rivers on Earth. One has only to look at the photo of the waters of the Yamuna River - one of the most toxic reservoirs in the world - for associations to arise with a giant dump, and not with a sacred garden. Bathing in it is comparable to swimming in untreated sewage. Ganges (with the exception of places close to the source) and even worse, bathing in it can only be done by a reckless or very pious person.
The frenzied road traffic, as well as the lack of green spaces, also contribute to air pollution in Allahabad.
1. Gwalior, India, 176 mcg / m3
This is WHO’s answer to the question of which city is the dirtiest in the world. In a previous report, Zabol in Iran was named the most polluted city. However, judging by the latest version of the WHO database, Zabol has reduced pollution by four times and now seems cleaner than Canberra, Australia.
Many people in Gwalior suffer from waterborne infections because the liquid they drink comes from contaminated areas. Huge natural dumps, overcrowding and noise pollution also contribute to the risk of serious health problems.
There is no data on street air quality in Russia, since there are stations collecting such data only in Moscow. However, in 2018, the Ministry of Natural Resources compiled a list of the most environmentally unfavorable Russian cities and proposed a bill on environmental information. One can only hope that measures to improve the environment in Russia will allow citizens to breathe deeply, without fear for their well-being.
