Pollution is the world’s biggest killer

A new study has found that pollution is now the world’s biggest killer. One in six deaths worldwide is because of pollution. This is 16 percent of all global deaths. Most of these deaths were from non-infectious diseases caused by pollution. These include heart disease, lung cancer and stroke. The study was published in the medical journal. The Researchers said most pollution-related deaths occurred in poorer countries. About 92 percent of these deaths were in low-income nations, especially countries where there is a lot of economic development, such as India and China. Bangladesh and Somalia were the worst affected countries. Brunei and Sweden had the lowest numbers of pollution-related deaths.

The author of the study said: “Pollution, poverty, poor health, and social injustice are deeply connected.” He added: “Pollution threatens fundamental human rights, such as the right to life, health, wellbeing, and safe work.” He said air pollution was the biggest killer. Air pollution led to 6.5 million premature deaths. The second biggest killer was water pollution, which caused 1.8 million deaths. The next largest killer was pollution in the workplace, which was linked to 800,000 worldwide deaths. Scientist Dr. Penny Woods said: “Air pollution is reaching crisis point.” She said the people who pollution hit the hardest are those with breathing and lung problems, children and the elderly.

1. TRUE / FALSE: Say whether the sentences below are true (T) or false (F).

1. One in six deaths worldwide is because if pollution.                                           T / F
2. Most deaths from pollution were because of infectious diseases.                  T / F
3. Most pollution-related deaths were in richer countries.                                  T / F
4. Bangladesh and Sweden have the lowest pollution-related death rates.        T / F
5. A researcher said pollution and social injustice are strongly linked.              T / F
6. The researcher said pollution threatens human rights.                                   T / F
7. Water pollution was the biggest killer.                                                           T / F
8. A scientist said pollution is so bad it is reaching crisis point.                              T / F

2. TYPES OF POLLUTION: What causes these types of pollution and how bad are they? How can we reduce these levels?

3. PROBLEMS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

_______  global warming            _______ melting ice caps          _______ skin cancer

_______  urban violence             _______ poor air in cities           _______ acid rain

_______  oil spills                         _______ lung problems _______ pesticides