{"id":8,"date":"2023-06-20T13:20:06","date_gmt":"2023-06-20T13:20:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sussex-air.net\/air-pollution\/?page_id=8"},"modified":"2025-04-24T10:28:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T09:28:09","slug":"what-is-air-pollution","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sussex-air.net\/air-pollution\/what-is-air-pollution\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Air Pollution?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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What is air pollution?<\/h1>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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Air pollution is the largest environmental risk to public health<\/h3>\n

Virtually every home in the UK is subjected to air pollution above the World Health Organisation Guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div> \n <\/div>\n

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In 2021, 8.1 million deaths globally were linked to air pollution<\/a>.<\/h3>\n

In the UK, it is estimated 43,000 people die early<\/a> every year because of air pollution.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div> \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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Household air pollution exposure can lead to:<\/h2>
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Lung Disease<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK, as long-term exposure to air pollution can cause chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as well as lung cancer, leading to reduced life expectancy.<\/p>\n<\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n

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Heart Disease<\/strong><\/h4>\n

When you breathe in poor quality air, the air pollutants can travel deep into your bloodstream through your lungs, and to your heart. This can increase your risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.<\/p>\n<\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n

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Asthma<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Air pollution can cause asthma and other lung diseases. It also worsens asthma symptoms, leads to increased hospital visits, and can cause early death.<\/p>\n<\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n

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Strokes<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide and causes more than 40,000 deaths in the UK each year. Short-term exposure to four different types of pollution increased the risk of hospitalisation or death from stroke in the following week.<\/p>\n<\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n

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Shortened Lifespan<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Life expectancy is reduced by particulate matter globally by 1year and 8 months (2019) which is almost as much as tobacco use.<\/p>\n<\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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How air pollution affects people throughout their lifetime:<\/h2>
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Pregnancy<\/h4>\n