The dirtiest country in the world: ranking of the worst states. The most polluted cities in the world The most polluted city in the world

the most... cities in the world. List of the dirtiest TOP 10. For the first time, the rating of the dirtiest cities in the world was compiled in 2007 by specialists from the influential international consulting agency Mercer. The study was based on data on water and air quality, mortality rates, life expectancy and quality of medical care.

The American analytical organization Mercer Human has published a list of the ten most polluted industrial centers on the planet. Unfortunately, this list included 3 Russian cities at once: Norilsk, Dzerzhinsk and the village of Rudnaya Pristan. There are 35 cities on the full list. The most environmentally hazardous zones in Russia are Komi, Magnitogorsk, Karachay, Volgograd and the Kola Peninsula. One of the main criteria when choosing contaminated sites is the proximity of the contaminated site to large populated areas. Heavy metals are recognized as the main source of infection. According to Mercer Human research, environmental pollution negatively affects more than a billion people on the planet. Basically, the cities included in the first

1. , Chernobyl Ukraine Number of potentially infected people: about 5.5 million people. Type of pollutant: uranium, plutonium, strontium, heavy metals, radioactive iodine. The worst nuclear disaster in the history of the planet occurred on April 26, 1986, when the reactor core melted due to an explosion during tests at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Thirty people died on the spot, and more than 135,000 were evacuated. The explosion brought in a hundred times more radiation than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

2. Dzerzhinsk, Russia. Number of potentially infected people: 300,000 people. Type of pollutant: Sarin, Lewisite, mustard gas, hydrocyanic acid, phosgene, lead, organic chemicals. Average life expectancy in Dzerzhinsk, the center of Russian chemical production, is 42 years for men and 47 years for women. Until the end of the Cold War, the city was a major center for the production of chemical weapons. According to the Environmental Protection Agency in Dzerzhinsk in the period from 1930 to 1998. Almost 300,000 tons of chemical waste were improperly disposed of. About 190 tons of these substances were illegally dumped into groundwater. In 2003, official statistics reported that in Dzerzhinsk the mortality rate exceeds the birth rate by 2.6 times.

3. Haina, Dominican Republic Number of potentially infected people: 85,000 people. Type of pollutant: lead. This densely populated area, known as Bajos de Haina, is heavily polluted with lead, waste from a closed car battery factory. Various studies indicate critical levels of lead in the blood of the population and in the soil - indicators exceed the norm by several thousand times! The most common disease in Haina is lead poisoning, which leads to congenital deformities, eye diseases, and mental disorders.

4. Kabwe, Zambia Number of potentially infected people: 250,000 people. Type of pollutant: lead, cadmium. Kabwe, the second largest city in Zambia, is located 150 kilometers north of the country's capital, Lusaka. In 1902, rich deposits of lead were discovered here. The level of heavy metal pollution exceeds the maximum permissible norm by 4 times. Residents of the city are characterized by symptoms of acute blood poisoning, which leads to vomiting, diarrhea, chronic kidney disease and muscle atrophy.

5. La Oroya, Peru Number of potentially infected people: 35,000 people. Type of pollutant: lead, zinc, copper. Beginning in 1922, residents of a mining town in the Peruvian Andes were exposed to toxic emissions from a local plant. Ninety-nine percent of children living in the La Oroya area are susceptible to severe illness due to high levels of lead in their blood. The vegetation in the vicinity of the city has long been destroyed by acid rain due to high emissions of sulfur dioxide.

6. Linfeng, China Number of potentially infected people: 200,000. Type of pollutant: ash, carbon, lead, organic chemicals. Description: Linfen is the most polluted city in China. The country's need for coal led to the creation of hundreds of often illegal and unregulated mines, one of which was the city of Linfen. Local clinics are seeing an increase in cases of bronchitis, pneumonia, and lung cancer. Levels of sulfur dioxide and other particles in the air are several times higher than the standards set by the World Health Organization

7. Mailu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan Number of potentially infected people: 23,000 infected, potentially several million. Type of pollutant: radioactive uranium, heavy metals. The development of uranium mines in the Mailu-Suu river valley at an altitude of 2 thousand meters above sea level began in 1948 at the start of the Cold War. In 1968, the production of radium from uranium ores at two plants near the city of Mailu-Suu was discontinued. In the surrounding area - in a zone of constant seismic, landslide and mudflow activity - there are extensive burial sites of radioactive waste.

8. Norilsk, Russia Number of potentially infected people: 134,000 people. Type of pollutant: strontium, nickel, cobalt, copper, lead, selenium. It is considered one of the most polluted places in Russia - the snow is black and there is a hint of sulfur in the air. Life expectancy for factory workers is on average 10 years lower than in Russia. Norilsk is home to the world's largest heavy metal smelting complex, and over 4 million tons of cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, arsenic, selenium and zinc are dispersed into the air throughout the year. Residents of the city suffer from respiratory diseases associated with air pollution as a result of the plant's activities. In addition, mortality from respiratory diseases is much higher than the national average.

9. Ranipet, India Number of potentially infected people: 3,500,000 people. Type of pollutant: emissions from the tanning industry, tanneries, chromium. Ranipet is approximately 100 miles upstream from Chennai and is the fourth largest city in India. The tannery uses sodium chromate, chromium salts and chromium sulfate for coloring in the leather tanning process. About 1,500,000 tons of solid waste pollute groundwater. Soil and groundwater pollution from wastewater has a detrimental effect on the health and lives of thousands of people. Drinking sources and agricultural lands are affected. Farmers cultivate contaminated soil and water their crops with contaminated water.

Rudnaya Pristan, 10. Russia Number of potentially infected people: 90,000 people. Type of pollutant: lead, cadmium, mercury. Drinking water, soil and fauna contain dangerous levels of lead. The lead content in the blood of children exceeds the norm by 8 to 20 times. Every year, 85 tons of particulate matter of lead and arsenic are released into the atmosphere.

List of the 10 most environmentally friendly cities in the world Mercer Human has identified the most environmentally friendly cities in the world. For this purpose, 221 megacities were studied. Important parameters for determining the cities with the most favorable ecosystem were: the availability and purity of water, the thoroughness of garbage collection, the condition of sewer networks, the level of air pollution and transport problems. In cities with the best ecology, renewable energy sources are used optimally. In addition, they regularly take measures to minimize air and water pollution. Another factor is the noise level in cities.

1. Calgary, Canada Population 1,100,000 inhabitants. Calgary is located 27 kilometers from the border of the Rocky Mountains, in the foothills area. The climate there is sharply continental: cold winters and warm summers.

2. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA Population 377,000 inhabitants. It is located in a tropical oceanic climate. In the suburbs of Honolulu is the US Navy base Pearl Harbor.

3. Ottawa, Canada Population 1,174,000 inhabitants. The height of Ottawa is 114 meters. Located in North America near the Appalachian Mountains. The city is located on the northern border of the distribution of broad-leaved forests. The climate is temperate continental.

Helsinki Finland 4. and, i Population 1,299,000 inhabitants. The city is located in a rocky area. The climate of Helsinki is moderate, transitional between continental and maritime.

5. n, Wellingto New Zealand Population 431,400 people. Wellington is located in the southwestern part of the island on the shore of a volcanic bay. Wellington is often subject to strong storm winds. The climate is subtropical marine.

6. Minneapolis, USA state of Minnesota, Population 3,502,891 inhabitants. Minneapolis's climate is continental. Minneapolis is ranked #1 by Forbes magazine among American cities with the most affordable housing that still offer a high quality of life.

7. , i, Australia Adelaide South Australia i Population 1,138,800 people. The total area of ​​Adelaide's urban area is 870 km², and is located at an average altitude of 50 meters above sea level. Adelaide is located in the Mediterranean climate zone.

8. Copenhagen, Denmark Population 548,443 people. The city's climate is temperate maritime.

9. Kobe, Japan Population 1,538,840 people. Stone tools and artifacts that were found in the west of Kobe indicate that human settlements were located in this territory from 12,000 to 300 BC. e. Major Japanese companies headquartered in Kobe include ASICS, Daiei, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Shipbuilding Co., Mitsubishi Motors, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Electric, Kobe Steel, Sumitomo Rubber Industries and TOA Corporation.

10. Oslo, Norway Population 590,041 inhabitants. About half of the country's tertiary-educated residents live in the Oslo region, placing it third in Europe in terms of educational attainment. More than 73,000 students study in the capital. Oslo is located at the northernmost tip of the Oslofjord in southeastern Norway. Oslo includes 40 islands. Within the city there are 343 lakes, which are the most important source of drinking water.

10. m, Stockholm Sweden Population 861,010 people. World famous companies IBM, Ericsson and Electrolux are based here. The Royal High School of Music in Stockholm was founded in 1771 and is one of the oldest high schools of music in the world. In 1998 Stockholm was elected European Capital of Culture. Stockholm's climate is temperate maritime with mild winters and cool summers.

List of the 10 best cities in the world to live Baghdad was recognized as the worst city to live in, in the ranking it is located in 221st place. When assessing cities, they took into account the development of infrastructure, the level of service in social and medical institutions, and also took into account the opportunity to find a job with a competitive salary. Of course, political and economic stability was also assessed. Two Russian cities also made it into the ranking: St. Petersburg took 68th place, and Moscow took 70th place.

1. Vancouver, Canada It is the 3rd largest city in Canada with a population of 2,433,000 people and the largest population center in the province of British Columbia. Surrounded by dense coniferous forest, snow-capped mountains and fjords. There are 20 bridges across the city’s numerous rivers, 3 of which are drawbridges. Vancouver has a mild climate, being part of a unique ecosystem - a temperate rainforest, so summers are mild and not hot, and it rarely snows in winter.

2. Vienna, Austria Vienna is the capital of Austria, located in the eastern part of the country. The population of Vienna and its suburbs is about 2.3 million. Vienna is a world-famous center of music, thanks to a long line of famous musicians who lived and worked in this city: Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert. Not far from the capital is the Vienna Woods, a mountain range in Austria. This is a wonderful natural recreation area - an entire forest area with its own towns and hotels, resorts and thermal springs

3. Melbourne Australia, I Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia with a population of about 3.8 million and the capital of the state of Victoria. The city is considered one of the main commercial, industrial and cultural centers of Australia. It is also often called the sports and cultural capital of the country.

4. Toronto, Canada Toronto is the largest city in Canada and the administrative center of the province of Ontario. Toronto is also home to the longest street in the world - Young Street, listed in the Guinness Book of Records and having a length of 1896 km. The largest zoo in the world is located here. The area of ​​the zoo is 283 hectares. The CN tower is the world's tallest television tower, built back in 1976. Its height with the spire is 553 meters, and at an altitude of 446 meters there is a closed observation deck. The main attraction in the Toronto area is Niagara Falls. It is located between lakes Ontario and Erie on the border with the United States, 140 km from Toronto

6. Helsinki Finland, I Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland with a population of 578 thousand people. Helsinki is the center of business, education, culture and science in Finland; 70% of foreign companies operating in Finland are located in this city. Built on peninsulas and islands along the Baltic coastline, Helsinki is

Sydney, Australia 7. i The largest city of Australia on the southeast coast is Sydney. It is twice the size of another giant city - New York. The number of parks and green oases makes Sydney unlike other major cities on the planet: next to the skyscrapers in the City - 34 hectares of the Royal Botanic Garden.

10. Auckland, New Zealand This is New Zealand's largest city with a population of about 1.3 million people, accounting for a quarter of the country's total population. Today Auckland is the economic and cultural center of New Zealand. The city is not rich in historical sights, but with its picturesque beauty Auckland strikes many hearts of those who come here for the first time. Auckland is surrounded by three sea bays, within the city limits there are

Technological progress is inextricably linked with the extraction and use of minerals. Intensive development of the earth's interior, heavy industry and industrial waste - all this has an extremely negative impact on the environmental situation of the planet.

Real threat

The soil, ground and external waters, and the atmosphere within a radius of tens of kilometers from the site of mining or man-made objects are polluted. Settlements also fall into the distribution area of ​​toxic and often deadly substances. The most environmentally polluted cities in the world pose a real threat not only to public health, but also to people’s lives. Cancer, gene mutations, high infant mortality, a significant reduction in the average life expectancy of the adult population - this is not the entire list of the terrible consequences of a thoughtless attitude towards the environment.

Criteria for selecting contaminated sites

The analytical organization MercerHuman (USA) took the trouble to study the situation and identified the dirtiest cities in the world. For this, ecologists established criteria by which a number of indicators of the settlement’s environment were assessed:

• remoteness of the settlement from the source of pollution;
• Population;
• the impact of adverse factors on the child’s body;
• the level of heavy metals and other pollutants in soil, water and air; The following are recognized as particularly dangerous: lead, mercury, copper, zinc, sulfur dioxide, cadmium, arsenic, selenium, sarin, phosgene, mustard gas, hydrocyanic acid and some others;
• radiation level;
• period of decomposition of harmful substances.

In order to compile a list of the dirtiest cities in the world, points were assigned to the places studied for each item. The total indicator was assessed using a specially developed scale. Based on the results of the study using the comparison method, we compiled this list, consisting of 35 cities located in different parts of our planet.

TOP 10 dirtiest cities in the world

If we simply list the cities that are most heavily polluted, the list will look like this:

1. Linfen, China.
2. Tianying, China.
3. Sukinda, India.
4. Vapi, India.
5. La Oroya, Peru.
6. Dzerzhinsk, Russia.
7. Norilsk, Russia.
8. Chernobyl, Ukraine.
9. Sumgayit, Azerbaijan.
10. Kabwe, Zambia.

Full list

These 10 dirtiest cities in the world should be supplemented by the following settlements, the level of environmental tension in which is extremely high:

• Bayos de Haina, Dominican Republic.
• Mailu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan.
• Ranipet, India.
• Rudnaya Pristan, Russia.
• Dalnegorsk, Russia.
• Volgograd, Russia.
• Magnitogorsk, Russia.
• Karachay, Russia.

The complete top of the dirtiest cities in the world consists of 35 places. Of these, 8 belong to Russia, 6 to India, followed by the Philippines, the United States, China, Romania and other countries.

To be able to analyze the situation, these cities should be examined in detail.

Linfen, China

This is the dirtiest city in the world. Moreover, the conclusion made by the American organization MercerHuman is confirmed by the results of a study by the Blacksmith Institute and other organizations concerned about the state of the environment on Earth.

Linfen is the center of the Chinese coal mining industry. Its population exceeds 200 thousand people. Deposits of black fuel are extracted from the bowels of the earth not only by state mines, but also illegally, without observing safety standards. Because of this, coal dust completely enveloped the dirtiest city in the world. It is on clothes, on skin, and on houses, dusting windows and roofs. Residents of the city don’t even hang their bed linen outside to dry, because after a while it turns black...

In addition, everything here is saturated with carbon, lead and organic chemicals. This unfavorable situation has led to a progressive increase in bronchopulmonary diseases - bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, and lung cancer.

Cleanup work is not being carried out in the city, although the situation has long become critical.

Tianying, China

The largest metallurgical center of China continues the ranking of the dirtiest cities in the world. Large-scale lead mining operations have been launched in the vicinity of Tianying. The bluish smoke that has enveloped the city makes it difficult to see anything at a distance of ten meters! Everything around is saturated with lead - soil, water and air. Wheat grown in fields near the city contains 24 times the maximum permissible level of this heavy metal. A lot of mentally retarded children are born here.

No work is being done to clean up lead from the area.

Sukinda, India

An open-pit chromium mine has been developed near the Indian city of Sukinda. This metal is widely used in various manufacturing industries. At the same time, it is a strong carcinogen and poisons the body, causing cancer and gene mutations.

Total contamination with chromium has a very bad effect on the health of the population of Sukinda. But the state is not taking any measures to reduce the level of the chemical element in water and soil.

Vapi, India

The town of Vapi in India with a population of 71 thousand people confidently continues the list of “The dirtiest cities in the world.” It is located near an industrial zone where many chemical factories and metallurgical plants have been built. Manufacturing facilities release tons of harmful chemicals into the environment around the clock. This has led to the fact that the mercury content in soil and water is 100 times higher than the norm! This is literally killing local residents, whose average life expectancy is very low - only 35-40 years.

La Oroya, Peru

A small town with a population of 35 thousand people has been suffering from periodic toxic emissions from a local plant since 1922. The emissions contain concentrated doses of lead, zinc, copper and sulfur dioxide. This area is dry and lifeless because all the vegetation has died due to acid rain. The lead content in the blood of local residents far exceeds the critical level, which leads to serious illnesses.

La Oroya, like other dirtiest cities in the world, does not bother the country's authorities, who do not pay any attention to the environment or the health of local residents.

Dzerzhinsk, Russia

According to many experts, Dzerzhinsk, with a population of 300 thousand people, should top the list called “The dirtiest cities in the world.” It was here that, from 1938 to 1998, 300 thousand tons of deadly chemicals were buried, amounting to 1 ton for each resident. The level of dioxides and phenol in groundwater and soil exceeds the upper limit of normal by 17 million (!) times! Dzerzhinsk has a record high mortality rate: for every 10 newborns there are 26 dead. The city would have died out long ago if it had not been filled with newcomers, who are lured by high salaries in hazardous industries.

In 2003, Dzerzhinsk was included in the Guinness Book of Records with the title of the dirtiest city in the world.

Cleanup work is at the planning stage.

Norilsk, Russia

It is called a branch of ecological hell. A giant metallurgical plant, one of the largest on the planet, has been operating here for many decades. Every year it emits 4 million tons of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, consisting of zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, selenium, lead and arsenic. The vegetation here is destroyed, there are practically no insects, and black snow falls in winter. The city with a population of 180 thousand people is closed to foreigners.

Cleanup work has been ongoing for the last 10 years. During this period, it was possible to improve the environmental situation somewhat, but the reduced concentrations of harmful substances still greatly exceed the level safe for health.

Chernobyl, Ukraine

A nuclear power plant exploded in the city. This tragedy happened on April 26, 1986. The nuclear accident is recognized as the worst in the history of the planet. A radioactive cloud of plutonium, uranium, strontium, iodine and heavy metals enveloped an area of ​​more than 150 thousand square meters. km. All city residents were evacuated. Chernobyl is still empty. In the exclusion zone, the level of radiation is deadly. The most common disease in people exposed to radiation due to a nuclear explosion is thyroid cancer.

Sumgayit, Azerbaijan

During Soviet times, Sumgayit was the center of the chemical industry. Over the entire period of operation, more than 120 thousand tons of toxic waste, mainly mercury and petroleum products, were released into the external environment. As a result, the city of 285 thousand turned into a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Today, most plants and factories are closed, but no one is carrying out serious disinfection work, leaving nature to clean itself. Sumgayit is still one of the most uninhabitable places on the planet.

Kabwe, Zambia

Near the African city of Kabwe with a population of 250 thousand people, lead deposits were discovered more than 100 years ago. Since then, its mining has been carried out here continuously. Numerous lead mines release hazardous waste into the air, soil and water. The high concentration of lead in the blood of Aboriginal people leads to a huge number of severe poisonings.

Cleaning work is under development.

Bayos de Haina, Dominican Republic

In this town with a population of 85 thousand, a large plant for the production of car batteries was built. His activities caused severe lead contamination of the environment. The indicators are four thousand times higher than normal! This is incompatible with life.

Mental disorders and congenital deformities are widespread among local residents.

No cleaning work is being carried out.

Mailu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan

Uranium mining took place here from 1948 to 1968. Despite the cessation of mining operations, the situation in the city and its environs is critical. Great danger is posed by burial grounds, which are destroyed by landslides, earthquakes and mudflows. Scientists warned that radioactive substances should not be buried in a seismically active zone. The radiation background in the areas of destruction exceeds the permissible norm by almost 10 times!

The United States is dealing with this problem. The work is financed by the World Bank and the International Development Association Bank.

General conclusions

The dirtiest cities in the world, photos of which indicate a very difficult environmental situation, pose a potential danger to the whole world. The water cycle in nature, soil migration, and air cyclones transport hazardous substances over long distances in all directions, infecting other areas.

Experts estimate that more than a billion people on the planet are exposed to the harmful effects of hazardous chemicals. This raises the problem to the global level and requires a prompt solution.

99% of scientists agree that the Earth's climate is changing at a tremendous rate, faster than they can analyze it. The remaining percentage of scientists are paid generous subsidies by oil producing and other industrial companies to cover up the shameful consequences of their activities. Carbon dioxide is just one of many causes of global climate change. A much more serious problem is methane - it is about 17 times more toxic than carbon dioxide.

As glaciers melt in the oceans, they release methane that has been locked away for millions of years in the form of frozen plants. If all of Greenland's 2.3 cubic kilometers of glaciers melted, global sea levels would rise by 7.2 meters and the world's 100 most populous cities would be completely underwater. It is not yet known how long it will take for the world's second largest ice sheet to melt, but the worst thing is that the largest glacier - Antarctica - has already begun to melt.

In recent years, huge amounts of hazardous waste have entered the Earth's atmosphere. Industry and fuel companies are destroying natural resources, cutting down forests and releasing deadly substances into the atmosphere. There are places on Earth that, it seems, nothing can help, only time.

10. Agbogbloshie, Ghana - electronic waste dump.

Most of the electronics we throw away will likely end up in a huge, constantly burning landfill in Ghana. The mercury levels here are horrifying, 45 times higher than what is allowed in the United States. More than 250 thousand Ghanaians live in conditions that are hazardous to health and life. This is especially true for those whose job it is to rummage through this landfill in search of metals that can be recycled.

9. Norilsk, Russia - mines and metallurgy.

Once there were camps for enemies of the people, and now it is the second largest city in the Arctic Circle. The first mines appeared here in the 1930s, when no one thought about the environment. It is home to the world's largest heavy metal smelting complex, which releases about two million tons of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere annually. Miners in Norilsk live ten years less than the world average. This is one of the most polluted places in Russia: even the snow tastes sulfur and is black in color. Sulfur dioxide emissions cause diseases such as lung cancer.

8. Niger Delta, Nigeria - oil spills.

About two million barrels of oil are pumped out of this zone every day. About 240 thousand barrels end up in the Niger Delta. From 1976 to 2001, about seven thousand cases of oil spills in the river were recorded here, and most of this oil was never collected. The spills caused significant air pollution, producing carcinogens such as polycyclic hydrocarbons. A 2013 study estimates that pollution caused by spills is having a huge impact on cereal crops, leading to a 24% increase in digestive disorders in children. Other consequences of the oil spill include cancer and infertility.

7. Matanza Riachuelo, Argentina - industrial pollution.

About 15 thousand companies dump toxic waste directly into the Matanza Riachuelo River, which flows through the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. The people who live there have almost no sources of clean drinking water. There is a high level of diseases associated with diarrhea, oncology and respiratory diseases, which reaches 60% among the 20 thousand people living on the banks of the river.

6. Hazaribagh, Bangladesh - leather production.

About 95% of registered tanneries in Bangladesh are located in Hazaribagh, a district in the capital Dhaka. They use outdated leather tanning methods that are prohibited in other countries, not to mention the fact that all these industries release about 22 thousand cubic liters of toxic chemicals into the largest river. Hexavalent chromium, which is found in these wastes, causes cancer. Residents must endure high rates of respiratory and skin diseases, as well as acid burns, nausea, dizziness and itching.

5. Citarum River Valley, Indonesia - industrial and domestic pollution.

Mercury levels in the river are more than a thousand times higher than US Environmental Protection Agency standards. Additional research revealed extremely high levels of toxic metals, including manganese, iron and aluminum. The capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, is a city with a population of 10 million people. The valley of the Chitarum River is covered with a large amount of various toxic waste - industrial and household, which is dumped directly into the waters of the river. Fortunately, the country's authorities have taken the initiative to clean up the river, which will be financed by a $500 million loan from the Asian Development Bank.

4. Dzerzhinsk, Russia - chemical production.

300 thousand tons of hazardous chemical waste were dumped in and around the city from 1930 to 1998. In 2007, Dzerzhinsk was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most poisonous city on the planet. Water samples revealed levels of phenols and dioxins that were thousands of times higher than normal. These substances are directly linked to cancer and disabling diseases. In 2006, the average life expectancy for women here was 47 years, and for men - 42 years, with a population of 245 thousand people.

3. Chernobyl, Ukraine - accident at a nuclear power plant.

The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant holds the title of the worst nuclear disaster in history. The radiation released from the accident was approximately one hundred times greater than that resulting from the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The outskirts of the city have been empty for more than 20 years. It is believed that about 4 thousand cases of thyroid cancer, as well as mutations in newborns, are caused by the consequences of the disaster.

2. Fukushima Daichi, Japan - accident at a nuclear power plant.

After a powerful earthquake, a 15-meter tsunami covered the cooling units and power supply of three Fukushima reactors, leading to a nuclear accident on March 11, 2011. More than 280,000 tons of chemical waste water are now held at the power plant, and another 100,000 tons of water are believed to be in the basements of four reactors in the turbine workshops. The accident liquidators tried to send robots there, but they melted when they got too close. People in this area are at risk of developing a wide range of cancers. According to the World Health Organization, it is the most polluted place in the world. There is a 70% higher risk of thyroid cancer among girls who were exposed to radiation as children, a 7% higher risk of thyroid cancer among boys, and a 6% higher risk of breast cancer among women.

1. Lake Karachay, Russia.

It is believed that Lake Karachay is the dirtiest place on Earth. It is located next to the Mayak production association, which produces nuclear weapons components, isotopes, and is involved in the storage and regeneration of spent nuclear fuel. This is the largest and one of the least efficient similar production facilities in Russia. It has been dumping waste into the river that flows into Lake Karachay since the 1950s. The location was kept secret until the mid-1990s. There were several nuclear accidents at the production site, and toxic waste ended up in the lake. Before the authorities recognized these facts, the number of cases of leukemia among the population of the Chelyabinsk region increased by 40%, birth defects by 25% and cancer by 20%. Exposure for one hour at a lake is enough to kill you.

Do you think you live in a polluted city? This opinion is especially common among residents of “super cities” such as New York, London, Moscow, etc.
To determine air pollution, a measure called PM10 is used, which reports the number of small particles found in the air. For example, New York City has a pollution level of 21 μg/m³ (micrograms per cubic meter). So where are all these cities? According to the World Health Organization for 2011, the list of ten cities with the most polluted air is as follows.

Kanpur, India

This industrial city is one of the most populous cities in India (2.92 million) in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Kanpur is the second most polluted city in India, has an indicator 209 µg/m³. The famous Ganges River runs through the city, but studies have shown that its water is unfit for human consumption, with its light yellow hue containing high levels of nitrates.

Yasuj, Iran

One of four Iranian cities in this top ten. It is an industrial city, with power plants and sugar processing plants. His indicator 215 µg/m³. But, despite the fact that the city has quite high air pollution, it is considered very beautiful, as it is located at the foot of the Zagros mountain range with a waterfall.

Gaborone, Botswana

In eighth place on the list of cities with the most polluted air is the city of Gabon, the capital of Botswana. According to local sources, pollution is at its peak and is gradually declining - the figure is 216 µg/m³. This place is popular among tourists due to its proximity to national parks.

Peshawar, Pakistan

Peshawar, a city in Pakistan, is the second most polluted in the country with 219 µg/m³. According to indications for 2007, the situation is gradually deteriorating, despite the fact that the government is taking measures to combat pollution.
But it's not just the air - the Kabul River canal is also heavily polluted thanks to food waste that is gradually filling it.

Kermanshah, Iran

This is another Iranian city with a serious pollution problem. It has an index from 229 µg/m³. Industries causing air pollution in this region are sugar processing, petrochemicals and electrical equipment.
The real problem is the dust storms that regularly sweep through Kermanshah.

Quetta, Pakistan

Even more polluted than Peshawar, this city has an indicator 251 µg/m³, making it the dirtiest city in a rather polluted country. Researchers call it a "major environmental problem for human health."
One of the causes of air pollution is public protests in the form of burning tires, which is considered a common form of protest in Pakistan.

Ludhiana, India

In terms of air pollution, the city of Ludhiana is considered to be Pakistan's rival. But air is not the only problem in Ludhiana - the river is also extremely polluted thanks to runoff from the city's industries.

Sanandaj, Iran

Another Iranian city that suffers from dust storms and heavy industrialization, air pollution here 254 µg/m³.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Mongolia is the most sparsely populated independent country in the world, it is surprising that its capital is on our list, and even in second place. The pollution index is 279 µg/m³. Fortunately, the World Bank is helping to solve this problem with approximately $22 million.

Ahvaz, Iran

The city is an important center of the metallurgical industry, with colossal 372 µg/m³. It is also one of the ten hottest places on the planet. The air here is certainly more polluted than in any other city. This is again due to an unhealthy combination of dust storms and emissions from heavy industry.

The problem of pollution in Russian cities, which has become especially acute in recent years, is inextricably linked with the global process of urbanization. The population growth of medium and large cities and agglomerations leads to increased anthropogenic impact on the atmosphere, water bodies, soil cover and living organisms. In Russia, this process has been most active since the end of the first half of the twentieth century; During this time, radical changes took place in the economy, the most famous Soviet industrial giants appeared, on the basis of which new vast industrial areas were formed. The same period includes the active development of those cities and territories in which the most difficult environmental situation is currently observed.

All more or less significant cities, where manufacturing enterprises operate and a developed transport network, require increased attention from environmental specialists. But there are also places on the map that over the past decades have actually become an environmental disaster zone. This is indicated not only by an analysis of the state of the environment, but also by direct statistics of morbidity and mortality of residents forced to stay in contaminated areas and consume local products. Below are the dirtiest cities in Russia, selected on the basis of environmental monitoring data.

1. Norilsk

Polar Norilsk, with a population of more than 170 thousand people, is the dirtiest city in Russia, the undisputed leader in terms of emissions into the atmosphere. Every year, city enterprises emit about two million tons of toxic substances into the air, while their concentration in the air periodically becomes tens and even hundreds of times higher than the maximum permissible level. The main source of toxic emissions is the Norilsk Nickel mining and metallurgical plant.

The geographical and climatic features of Norilsk (the city is surrounded on three sides by mountains) do not allow emissions to dissipate, so many Norilsk residents periodically experience breathing problems. In general, Norilsk is characterized by extremely low life expectancy of people compared to the regional average, and its surroundings for many kilometers around are almost completely devoid of vegetation.

2. Dzerzhinsk

The list of the most polluted cities in Russia could not but include Dzerzhinsk - a satellite city of Nizhny Novgorod with a population of 230 thousand inhabitants, the center of the chemical industry. During the twentieth century, hundreds of tons of hydrocyanic acid, pesticides, cyanides and other highly toxic substances were buried and released into groundwater in Dzerzhinsk and its surroundings. In addition, during the Cold War, Dzerzhinsk was the most important place for the development of chemical weapons, traces of which - mustard gas and phosgene - still remain in the soil. A unique attraction of the city are chemical lakes with different colored waters and storage facilities for deadly poisons.

3. Magnitogorsk

Magnitogorsk is located in the Southern Urals, its population is about 420 thousand people. The city operates the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, one of the main ferrous metallurgy enterprises and a major source of harmful emissions. After the collapse of the USSR, measures were repeatedly taken to reduce the amount of emissions, but monitoring results indicate that the threat remains: the concentration of various impurities in the atmosphere of Magnitogorsk is several times higher than the maximum permissible values, which makes it one of the dirtiest Russian cities.

4. Cherepovets

Cherepovets in the Vologda region, with about 320 thousand inhabitants and which became a city back in 1777, is now known as one of the centers of ferrous metallurgy. According to official statistics in recent years, Cherepovets ranks second in the Russian Federation after Norilsk in terms of air pollution. The main source of “dirt” is the metallurgical plant. Chemical production, which has been rapidly developing in the city since the 1970s, also has an adverse effect on the environmental situation.

5. Asbestos

Asbest is a small town near Yekaterinburg with a population of less than 65 thousand people, located on the edge of a huge asbestos quarry, the largest in the Urals. Asbestos has been mined open-pit since the end of the nineteenth century, and its processing is also carried out here. In the vicinity of the deposit, including the city itself, the air is characterized by a high concentration of asbestos dust, which, as researchers established at the end of the last century, provokes the development of cancer. Despite this, quarry development continues to this day. Asbestos ranks in the middle of our list of the dirtiest cities in Russia.

6. Lipetsk

Lipetsk is a large city in Central Russia, the second most populous city in the Central Black Earth economic region after Voronezh (more than 500 thousand inhabitants). A major environmental problem of the city is the Novolipetsk Iron and Steel Works; in unfavorable winds, when regularly occurring emissions from the enterprise cover the center of Lipetsk, the concentration of hazardous impurities turns out to be several times higher than the permissible values. Additional load on the atmosphere is exerted by cement and machine tool factories. Over the past ten years, projects have been implemented to reduce pollution levels, allowing us to expect that in the near future the environmental situation will become close to the expected norm. Perhaps Lipetsk will leave the rankings of the most dangerous cities in Russia to live in.

7. Omsk

Omsk, with a population of 1.2 million people, is one of the largest cities in the Russian Federation. This is one of the main centers of oil refining, mechanical engineering, chemical and metallurgical industries in Siberia. The greatest growth of the urban economy occurred back in the 1940s - 50s, when many new enterprises arose and began to rapidly expand in Omsk, including the Omsk Oil Refinery and the Aircraft Manufacturing Plant (now the Polet aerospace enterprise).

In recent decades, when specialists became seriously concerned about ensuring environmental safety, technical renovation of production facilities began, the goal of which is to reduce the level of air pollution several times. However, the problem of chemical contamination of soil and water bodies remains far from being completely resolved. Another urgent task, typical for the south of Siberia, is the fight against drought and desertification of lands, which result in constant dustiness in the air and even large-scale dust storms.

8. Angarsk

Angarsk (more than 200 thousand inhabitants) is a young Siberian city, the construction of which began in the second half of the 1940s. Now it is a center of petrochemical production, one of the three cities in Siberia with the most polluted atmosphere. A particular threat is posed by the production facilities of the Angarsk Electrolysis Chemical Plant, where for decades (until the 1990s) installations for uranium enrichment and the production of uranium fluoride compounds operated; On the territory of the enterprise, along with the former workshops, abandoned and gradually collapsing radioactive waste storage facilities are being “disturbed”.

9. Novokuznetsk

The city of Novokuznetsk with a population of more than 550 thousand inhabitants is known as the center of the Kuznetsk coal basin (Kuzbass) and its own Novokuznetsk agglomeration with a total population of more than 1.3 million people. Facilities of the coal mining industry, metallurgy and a number of other industries are concentrated in the city; In total, there are more than forty enterprises in Novokuznetsk. At the same time, ensuring environmental safety remains at an insufficient level, which affects not only the atmosphere, but also soils and local water bodies. A big problem is related to the pollution of the Tom River in the Novokuznetsk region, which poses a threat to the quality of drinking water.

10. Moscow

Despite the absence of large hazardous industrial enterprises, Moscow is one of the dirtiest cities in Russia and the world. More than 90% of all harmful substances in the Moscow atmosphere originate from non-stationary sources, namely motor transport. When weather conditions do not allow gases to leave the city, the concentration of impurities can increase sharply, forming smog.

Over half a century, the number of cars in the city has increased 30-40 times. According to the traffic police, in 2017, about five million cars were registered in the capital of the Russian Federation, and taking into account the region’s vehicle fleet, it turns out to be more than 8 million in the Moscow region. These data indicate that ten Muscovites have an average of four cars. This number of vehicles annually provides the Moscow atmosphere with more than 1 million tons of exhaust gases, and this figure continues to increase every year.

Experts name the use of electric transport as a possible way to overcome the problem of transport pollution, suggesting that residents of the largest cities use it as an alternative means, but the appropriate infrastructure for its widespread use is still only being prepared.