Air pollution affects people in different ways. The health risks and impacts change over a lifetime too. Children, older people and those who already have health problems are more likely to be harmed by breathing in polluted air.
Breathing in air pollution over a very long time can cause harm health and affect the quality of our lives. This is mainly because it can harm our lungs and heart. Research also suggests that other health harms can be linked to air pollution, including low birth weight and dementia. Shorter-term exposure (hours or days) may cause eye, nose and throat irritations. The health effects depend on how much air pollution people are exposed to and for how long.