U.N.: Particle Pollution Shortens Life

[Rose Siding]

GENEVA -- The burning of fossil fuels and wood is cutting life expectancy in some parts of Europe by up to two years, despite a significant reduction in other pollutants, the United Nations said Monday.

A series of agreements between European countries has already cut the amount of many pollutants such as sulfur, but fine particles -- which are narrower than a human hair -- have "escaped international control measures," the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe said.
.....
Small particle pollution also afflicts many other regions of the world, particularly parts of Asia and North America, but scientific surveys have only been carried out in Europe and the United States, Amann explained.

"All industrialized and developing countries have this problem," he said. "To solve this problem, one needs an international approach."

"There are no quick fixes and the effects will continue unless action is taken on many fronts," UN commission said, adding that fine particle pollution cuts the average life expectancy by about the same amount as road accidents.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-un-air-pollution,0,6549506.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines