Dr. Suat Günsel University of Kyrenia Hospital Pulmonology Specialist Prof. Dr. Füsun Yıldız stated that “air pollution” is caused by any undesirable substance, which enters the atmosphere and it is a big threat to human health and delivered a statement on account of “15-21 December Fight Against Air Pollution Week.”

Dr. Yıldız stated that air pollution can be divided into two groups; “Indoor Air Pollution” and “Outdoor Air Pollution”; she also added that indoor air pollution caused by fuels like cow dung used for indoor heating is responsible for approximately 4.5 million deaths annually.  Prof. Dr. Yıldız, stressed that World Health Organization and International Agency For Research On Cancer added outdoor air pollution caused by industrialisation and development into “Group 1 Carcinogens” and as it causes seven million deaths annually, air pollution is known as “invisible killer.”

Air Pollution Is Responsible For A Lot Of Diseases!
Dr. Yıldız stated, “Air pollution is an important environmental health problem that has negative effects to the living beings and human health, causing physical damages and economical losses which has resulted in rapid growth of the population, urbanisation, industrialisation, population movements and overconsumption.” She also added that the air we breathe is made mainly from a mixture of oxygen (21%) and nitrogen (78%),  argon ( 0,093%) and carbon dioxide (0,03%), however, due to the smoke coming from car exhaust fumes, house and factory chimneys, the air we breathe includes carbon monoxide, sulphur, heavy metals and a lot of harmful gases, which these materials change the gas content of the air to harmful gas. Dr. Yıldız stated that these substances come back to earth as acid rain and damages the soil and living beings. The results of the conducted studies show that 36% of the deaths related with lung cancer, 35% of the deaths related with COPD, 34% of the deaths related with strokes and 24% of the deaths related with cardiac diseases are attributable to air pollution. She added that air pollution may also cause sore throat, lacrimation and headaches, it  can limit your vision leading to traffic accidents, and cause dirt and damage to clothes and building wears.

Dr. Yıldız stated that if we can reduce air pollution, it is possible to decrease pulmonary infection, cardiac diseases and pulmonary disease rates too and stressed that air pollution is a global problem that is related with public health and therefore, it is important to raise awareness and fight against air pollution not only during the Fight Against Air Pollution Week, but everyday to provide a healthier future for the next generations.