Air Pollution: The World's Biggest Environmental Health Risk

Minority and poor communities are hit the hardest in U.S.

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What's in the Air? - The cause of seven million deaths in 2012, air pollution is now the world's largest single environmental health risk, according to a recent report from the World Health Organization. Keep reading to find out who is most affected by this global crisis. —Patrice Peck(Photo: Jeff Fusco/Getty Images)

International Crisis - On March 25, WHO revealed that air pollution exposure caused one in eight of total global deaths.(Photo: AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere, File)

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International Crisis - On March 25, WHO revealed that air pollution exposure caused one in eight of total global deaths.(Photo: AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere, File)

Regions Hit the Hardest - In 2012, low- and middle-income countries in the Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions experienced the biggest air pollution-related burden. A total of 3.3 million deaths were attributed to indoor air pollution, while 2.6 million deaths were attributed to outdoor air pollution. (Photo: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

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Regions Hit the Hardest - In 2012, low- and middle-income countries in the Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions experienced the biggest air pollution-related burden. A total of 3.3 million deaths were attributed to indoor air pollution, while 2.6 million deaths were attributed to outdoor air pollution. (Photo: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Jan. 14, 2014 - An expiring special federal program that covers people with serious pre-existing conditions, like cancer and heart disease, extended another month for the second time. (Photo: Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

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Damaging Our Health - New data shows that both indoor and outdoor air pollution play a strong role in the development of cancer, respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases, including strokes.(Photo: Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

The Most Vulnerable - "Poor women and children pay a heavy price from indoor air pollution since they spend more time at home breathing in smoke and soot from leaky coal and wood cook stoves," said Dr Flavia Bustreo, WHO assistant director-general family, women and children's health.(Photo: Feng Li/Getty Images)

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The Most Vulnerable - "Poor women and children pay a heavy price from indoor air pollution since they spend more time at home breathing in smoke and soot from leaky coal and wood cook stoves," said Dr Flavia Bustreo, WHO assistant director-general family, women and children's health.(Photo: Feng Li/Getty Images)

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Disproportionate Effects  - A 2011 study discovered not only that substantial areas of the U.S. lack air pollution monitoring data, but also that low-income and minority communities — particularly, poor children of color — tend to experience higher contamination levels.(Photo: GettyImages)

Unequal Exposure - Environmental Health News also reported that the larger the concentration of African-Americans, Latinos or poor residents in an area, the more likely that potentially dangerous compounds like zinc, nitrates and vanadium are in the air they breathe.(Photo: REUTERS/Luc Gnago)

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Unequal Exposure - Environmental Health News also reported that the larger the concentration of African-Americans, Latinos or poor residents in an area, the more likely that potentially dangerous compounds like zinc, nitrates and vanadium are in the air they breathe.(Photo: REUTERS/Luc Gnago)

CONOCOPHILLIPS

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City Air - As for the U.S. metropolitan areas that fare the worst, Los Angeles; Cincinnati, Ohio; St. Louis and Fresno, California, are among the cities with dangerous levels of toxic compounds and large concentrations of poor people of color.(Photo: Jonathan Alcorn/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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A Call to Action - "Few risks have a greater impact on global health today than air pollution; the evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all breathe," says Dr. Maria Neira, director of WHO's department for public health, environmental and social determinants of health.(Photo: ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images)

Cleaner Air - Under Jackson, the agency found that greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles and engines contribute to global warming and pollution that threatens public health and welfare. Such findings were necessary to implement new emissions standards for cars and light trucks. (Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)

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The Causes - "Excessive air pollution is often a by-product of unsustainable policies in sectors such as transport, energy, waste management and industry," said Dr. Carlos Dora, WHO coordinator for public health, environmental and social determinants of health.(Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)

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A Threat to Children - Smog, soot and specific contaminants like mercury and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) have been found to pose a major health threat to fetuses and young children, ranging from cognitive problems to future obesity. Power plants typically produce a majority of these pollutants.(Photo: Benjamin Lowy/Getty Images)

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Strategies and Solutions - "WHO and health sectors have a unique role in translating scientific evidence on air pollution into policies that can deliver impact and improvements that will save lives," said WHO's Dr. Carlos Dora.(Photo: GettyImages)

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Next Steps - Moving forward, WHO plans to develop and host a global platform on air quality and health to produce better data on air pollution-related diseases and better assistance to countries and cities through information, guidance and evidence.(Photo: MyLoupe/UIG via Getty Images)