In 2010, almost 2 million premature deaths were due to air pollution caused by the production and transport of consumer goods in the G20 countries. This is indicated by the study published in Nature Communication by the Japanese National Institute for Environmental Studies of Onogawa, and the Australian University of Sydney, which estimates that the main causes of victims due to PM2.5 fine particles are China, India, United States, Russia and Indonesia.
Numerous studies in recent years have highlighted the serious health hazards due to fine dust (Particulate Matter abbreviated as PM), pollutants that are classified according to their size. Various estimates suggest that in particular PM2.5, dust formed by powders with dimensions smaller than or equal to 2.5 microns (2.5 thousandths of a millimeter), are responsible for about 4 million premature deaths every year, most of which are recorded mainly in low- or middle-income countries. This type of fine dust is often produced industrially, in the production of goods, or by means of transport but still very few studies had been able to evaluate its ‘out-of-bounds’ effects, i.e. associate them with specific production lines, verify the local impact in the production of goods destined for foreign markets, and to define how many powders have secondary origins, ie following the chemical-physical transformations of other substances.
The work led by Keisuke Nansai has developed a model capable of quantifying the responsibility of PM2.5s on a national basis of the 19 member countries of the G20 (the twentieth being the European Union as a whole). The results were obtained by comparing the data on the health impacts of particulate matter in 199 countries with those relating to trade in the G20 nations. According to the study, in 2010 alone the consumption of 19 countries caused 1.98 million premature deaths, of which 79 thousand newborns. The greatest impacts are due to China, India, the United States, Russia and Indonesia and, with the exception of the United States, most of the victims are registered within their own borders. It emerges that the richest countries, as well as Italy (where deaths from this cause are estimated at 22,500 per year) are mainly responsible for victims outside their national borders, the cause being the dust created for the production of goods that then they matter. In general, the consumption of 11 countries induces about 50% of premature deaths from PM2.5 in other countries.
.
Source From: Ansa
I am an author at Global happenings and I mostly cover automobile news. In my time working in the automotive industry, I have developed a keen interest in the latest developments and trends. My writing skills have also allowed me to share my knowledge with others through articles and blog posts.
