Air Pollution 101

How much do we actually understand about human-made air pollution and its emission sources? This short video from National Geographic splits air pollutants into three categories:

Greenhouse Gases Greenhouse gases trap heat in the lower atmosphere. These higher temperatures in the air intensify certain types of air pollution, including smog, mould and pollen.

Smog Smog can be divided into two categories: sulphurous and photochemical. Sulphurous smog is released from certain types of fossil fuel combustion, particularly coal. Photochemical smog originates from car exhausts and factory emissions.

Toxic Air Pollution Our combustion practices around the world, including waste incineration release various other toxins into the air we breathe. Common toxins include mercury, lead, dioxin and benzene. These lead to a range of consequences for human and planetary health.

This is a bitesize introduction to air pollutants. How deep is your understanding of these three categories?