Immediate health effects are most noticeable during pollution episodes or periods when air pollutant concentrations reach dangerous levels in a short time. Notorious episodes that are documented include those that occurred in the Meuse Valley, Belgium in 1930 when 65 people died; Donora, Pennsylvania in 1948 when 20 died; and London in 1952 when about 4,000 died. These episodes were the result of elevated levels of particulates and sulphur dioxide. Many deaths were among the aged and those with cardiovascular disease.
Air pollutant releases during environmental disasters are even worse. At least 2,000 people were killed during the release of methyl isocyanate from Union Carbide in Bhopal, India. Medical complications from Bhopal are ongoing, just like the after-effects of 'Agent Orange', a defoliant used to destroy jungle during the Vietnam War (1964-75). The number of deaths from the radioactive release from the Chernobyl nuclear plant in 1986 has been estimated to be as high as 15,000.
Air pollution is also linked to bronchial and cardiovascular diseases. It can result in hospitalization and accelerated deaths. Click here for details of the health affects of particular pollutants on particular members of the community.
Air pollution also creates economic losses through increased medical expenses, lost productivity and loss in tourism and investment as air quality worsens.
The detrimental effects of air pollution have resulted in many countries and cities monitoring pollution levels and reporting a daily air pollution index. Hong Kong's index is the API (Air Pollution Index).
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