Vietnam Ranks in Top Ten Nations with Worst Air Pollution

Vietnam is listed in the top ten nations with the worst air pollution level in the world, an annual environment report by U.S. universities released at the World Economic Forum 2012 in Davos, Switzerland showed. The study entitled the 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) uses satellite data to measure air pollution contents and has been made by researchers at Yale and Columbia universities. Of 132 countries whose environments were surveyed in relation to effects on human health, Vietnam ranks the 123rd in the air category, 80th in the water category and 79th in addressing pollution control and natural resource management challenges. Pham Ngoc Dang, chairman of the Vietnam Environment Construction Association said the air quality is serious degrading due to rapid urbanization, especially most urban areas with crowded traffic, construction sites and industrial parks was filled with dust. Experts warned that air pollution will pose great threats to people’s health, causing diseases related to the respiratory system, eyes, ears and skin. Vietnam’s environment is being polluted severely, experts said, adding that up to 80% of diseases in humans are caused by environment pollution which is estimated to cost the country $780 million on annual healthcare services related to. The U.S. places 49th in the 2012 EPI, significantly behind other industrialized nations, including France (6th), the U.K. (9th), Germany (11th), and Japan (23rd). Switzerland leads the world in addressing pollution control. (Quan Doi Nhan Dan –People’s Army Feb 7 p4, Lao Dong – Labor Feb 7 p1, Vietnam News Feb 7, Vnexpress.net Feb 6)