Canada was the most polluted country in North America last year, reveals air quality report
Swiss air technology company IQAir just published the annual World Air Quality Report for 2023, and things didn’t look great for Canada.
Scientists analyzed data from more than 30,000 air quality monitoring stations in 134 countries, territories, and regions, with 7,812 locations in total.
“For the first time in the history of this report, Canada was the most polluted country in Northern America, with the region’s 13 most polluted cities located within its borders,” reads the sixth edition of the report.
Canada ranked 93 in the world for pollution, and historical data shows that things dramatically worsened last year, likely due to wildfires around the country.
Grimshaw in Alberta was the fourth most polluted city in North America.
Other polluted Canadian regions included Fort Mckay, Fort McMurray, Peace River, Fort Vermillion, Timberlea, and Yellowknife. A complete ranking can be found here.
IQAir
Data recorded before 2023 shows that Canada’s Fine Particulate Matter (also known as PM2.5) levels exceeded the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual PM2.5 guideline once or twice. But in 2023, the levels increased twice or thrice.
Per the Government of Canada, PM2.5 are particles in the air that measure less than 2.5 micrometres (μm) in diameter and typically consist of “a mix of things like smoke, soot, liquid or solid particles in aerosol, or biological matter like mould, bacteria, pollen and animal dander.”
Inhaling PM2.5 can lead to a slew of health issues, including stroke, asthma, lung diseases, and even cancer.
IQAir says exposure to elevated levels of these fine particles can “impair cognitive development in children, lead to mental health issues, and complicate existing illnesses, including diabetes.”
According to the company’s findings, 10 countries met the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual PM2.5 guideline last year. In order of least polluted to most, those were French Polynesia, Mauritius, Iceland, Grenada, Bermuda, New Zealand, Australia, Puerto Rico, Estonia, and Finland.
IQAir
Meanwhile, the 10 most polluted countries were Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Tajikistan, Burkina Faso, Iraq, the UAE, Nepal, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
IQAir
Currently, only three Canadian cities are in IQAir’s live ranking of the world’s most polluted cities: Toronto (#105), Vancouver (#106), and Montreal (#116).
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