Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution increases heart/lung disease risk

Two US studies published in The BMJ show that exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution increases the risk of hospital admission for heart and lung diseases. The Global Burden of Disease study estimates that PM2.5 exposure accounts for 7.6% of global mortality and 4.2% of global disability adjusted life years. The World Health Organization recommends annual average PM2.5 levels not exceeding 5 μg/m3. The US EPA recently updated the national air quality standard for annual PM2.5 to 9 µg/m3, still higher than the WHO guideline.