An Air that Kills: Our Invisible Air Pollution Crisis

Every year, millions of deaths worldwide are attributed to the simple act of breathing - inhaling air polluted by the everyday activities of modern life. Toxic air pollutants are all around us. Deadly air pollution is not limited to the world’s developing and heavily-industrialised countries. It is rife also in countries like the UK, where tens of thousands of deaths are attributed to air pollution every year. We are all affected, not only in congested towns and cities, but also in the remotest rural areas. International health guidelines are routinely breached and serious pollution episodes occur with alarming frequency. Poor air quality is a major public health crisis. It is a cause of cardiopulmonary disease and cancer and is a higher risk factor for deaths than road accidents, passive smoking and alcohol consumption. Yet, to most people, it is little known as a cause of concern and it is largely ignored by our political leaders. An Air that Kills investigates this alarming and urgent issue. It considers why air pollution is such a serious health problem, casts a critical eye over government attitudes and responses and identifies the radical solutions that will be required if we are to finally clean up the air we breathe.