Only seven countries meet WHO air quality standard, research finds

Almost all countries failing to meet mark for PM2.5, tiny particles expelled by vehicles and industry that can cause health problems

Only seven countries are meeting an international air quality standard, with deadly air pollution worsening in places due to a rebound in economic activity and the toxic impact of wildfire smoke, a new report has found.

Of 134 countries and regions surveyed in the report, only seven - Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand - are meeting a World Health Organization (WHO) guideline limit for tiny airborne particles expelled by cars, trucks and industrial processes.