A majority of these premature deaths were attributed to non-communicable diseases, such as asthma, heart disease, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which are worsened by exposure to pollution.
The two year project — led by Philip Landrigan, MD, professor of environmental medicine and global heath at New York City-based Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; and Richard Fuller, president of Pure Earth, a company whose mission is to clean pollution in third world countries — brought together 40 health and environmental experts to study the consequences of pollution.
“Pollution is much more than an environmental challenge — it is a profound and pervasive threat that affects many aspects of human health and wellbeing. It deserves the full attention of international leaders, civil society, health professionals, and people around the world,” Dr. Landrigan told CBS News.
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