Air pollution raises risk of death 'for decades after exposure'

Longest-running study to date analyses long-term mortality risks of Britons exposed to historic particulate pollution

Air pollution raises the risk of death for many decades after exposure, according to the longest-running study to date.

The analysis of 368,000 British people over 38 years also showed that those living in the most polluted places have a 14% higher risk of dying than those in the least polluted areas. Those exposed to particulate air pollution were more likely to die from respiratory problems, like pneumonia, emphysema and bronchitis, and also from cardiovascular problems, like heart attacks.