How many people die from air pollution in the UK?

The Committee on the Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) estimates that long-term exposure to air pollution contributes to between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths per year in the UK. The range reflects different methodological approaches to calculating the mortality burden. PM2.5 is the pollutant responsible for the largest share of this burden, followed by NO₂.

What are the long-term effects of air pollution?

Long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with cardiovascular disease (heart attacks, strokes, atherosclerosis), respiratory disease (COPD, reduced lung function, asthma), lung cancer, adverse birth outcomes, and emerging evidence of neurological effects including cognitive decline and increased dementia risk. These effects accumulate over years and decades of exposure, with no safe threshold identified for PM2.5.

Which air pollutant is most harmful to health?

PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) is considered the most harmful air pollutant to human health, based on the strength and breadth of the epidemiological evidence. Its ability to penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream means it affects nearly every organ system. The WHO attributes the majority of air pollution-related deaths to PM2.5 exposure. However, NO₂ and ground-level ozone also cause significant independent health effects.

How does air pollution affect children?

Children are particularly vulnerable because their lungs are still developing, they breathe more rapidly relative to their body weight, and they tend to spend more time outdoors. Exposure to PM2.5 and NO₂ during childhood reduces lung growth, increases the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, raises susceptibility to respiratory infections, and may affect cognitive development. Children attending schools near busy roads show measurably lower lung function than those in less polluted areas.

Can air pollution cause cancer?

Yes. In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified outdoor air pollution as a Group 1 carcinogen — the highest classification, indicating sufficient evidence that it causes cancer in humans. Particulate matter was separately classified as Group 1. The strongest evidence links PM2.5 exposure to lung cancer, but associations with bladder cancer have also been reported. The cancer risk increases with both the concentration and duration of exposure.

air pollutionhealth effectsPM2.5respiratory healthenvironmental impactWHOUK air quality

Effekter av luftföroreningar på hälsa och miljö

Publicerat av Elixer Rodil den 5 December 2025 · 11 min läsning

Effekter av luftföroreningar på hälsa och miljö

Luftvägseffekter

Kardiovaskulära effekter

Effekter på barn

Miljöeffekter

Varför övervakning är viktig

Vad Storbritannien gör

Vanliga frågor

Vilken förorening är mest skadlig?

Kan luftföroreningar orsaka cancer?

Hur många dör av luftföroreningar i Storbritannien?

Redo att komma igång med miljöövervakning?