Air pollution in the home could be damaging the lung health of a third of the world’s population

Household air pollution could be affecting the lung health of almost three billion people worldwide, according to a new review of the evidence available.

The review, published in the journal, The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, considered evidence on the effects of household air pollution, which comes from the use of fuels such as wood, charcoal or coal, and can be particularly severe in poorly ventilated homes.

The experts leading the evidence review estimated that, as a result of exposure to household air pollution, 600–800 million families worldwide are at an increased risk of illnesses including respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, asthma, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The authors argued that, despite international and national efforts to tackle this type of pollution, more needs to be done to raise awareness of the risks to health, particularly among those most affected.

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