Database Air Pollution

General information

Air pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air pollution. Pollutants of major public health concern include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Outdoor and indoor air pollution cause respiratory and other diseases, which can be fatal.

• Fact sheet on indoor air pollution
• Fact sheet on outdoor air pollution
• Q&As: Air quality and health
  pdf, 50kb

WHO programmes and activities

• Department of Public Health and Environment

Air pollution in WHO regions

• Region of the Americas-PAHO
• European Region
• Western Pacific Region

Partners

• United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)

Technical information

• Indoor air pollution
• Outdoor air pollution

Publications

• Indoor air pollution
• Air quality guidelines

Statistics

• Burden of disease: indoor air pollution
• Databases: indoor air pollution
• Data and analysis on outdoor air pollution
• Data and analysis on indoor air pollution

Related topics

• Indoor air pollution and household energy
• Air pollution
• Climate change
• Environmental health