Pollution caused one in six deaths globally, over 9 million in total, study says

Pollution caused some 9 million people to die prematurely in 2019, according to a new global report published recently. – Photo: Hung Chung Chih/Getty Images, via ETX DailyUp

Pollution caused some 9 million people to die prematurely in 2019, according to a new global report published Wednesday, with experts raising alarm over increasing deaths from breathing outside air and the "horrifying" toll of lead poisoning.

Human-created waste in the air, water and soil rarely kills people immediately, but causes instead heart disease, cancer, respiratory problems, diarrhoea and other serious illnesses.