With all the advancements in technology making life much easier for us, it has unfortunately also created a bigger problem – pollution. We take a look at some of the dirtiest cities in the world.
To help us determine the dirtiest cities in the world, we use Mercer Human Resource Consulting’s 2007 Quality of Life Report. They ranked 215 cities throughout the world, based on aspects like waste management, air pollution, hospital services and more. These cities were the ones that stood out.
- Brazzaville, Congo
With a score of 39.1, Brazzaville suffers from air pollution due to emissions, as well as a lack of portable water and the fact that clean water is contaminated by the city’s sewerage system. This has a negative effect on the life expectancy of the population. - Almaty, Kazakhstan
Almaty scores 39.1 and their petroleum industry offers little safeguard against pollution. They are headed for an environmental crisis and their toxic waste dumps are in urgent need of improvement. - Baghdad, Iraq
With a score of 39, Baghdad has a very poor water quality and this increases the spreading of water-borne diseases. Air pollution due to the burning of oil aggravates the air pollution problem and this is a major cause for concern in the city. - Mumbai, India
Mumbai scores a low 38.2 and the government hopes to transform the city back to a thriving metropolis. Changes in infrastructure and pollution control were proposed, which will require around $1 billion in aid. - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
This city has a score of 37.9 and this is largely due to their dire sanitation problems. They lack adequate sanitation, and this leads to a high rate of infant mortality and a low life expectancy for residents due to the increase in the transmission of water-borne diseases. - Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City has a score of 37.7 and they have unhealthy ozone emissions almost 85 percent of the year. Their physical location results in air pollution to be locked in, causing even more smog above the city. - Port au Prince, Haiti
With a score of 34, Port au Prince falls among the top four dirtiest cities in the world. They have a serious lack of pollution control and have problems with air and water pollution. - Antananarivo, Madagascar
With a low score of only 30.1, this city located on the African continent, is well known for its fauna and flora. But unfortunately the effects of their human population cause damage to the city’s sustainability. - Dhaka, Bangladesh
Dhaka scores 29.6 and they have a constant threat of water pollution. Their surface water is filled with disease and pollutants from local pesticides. There are around 150 million people living in Dhaka, and this contributes to the ever increasing pollution problem. - Baku, Azerbaijan
Topping our list with a score of 27.6, Baku is the dirtiest city in the world. Located in-between Armenia, Georgia, Iran and Russia, this city is an oil hub and it has its effects. The city suffers from life threatening levels of air pollution due to oil drilling and shipping.
With waste and pollution being a major problem around the world, effective waste removal is essential. If you live in the London area, Junkwize is a leading waste removal company that deals with small and large scale collection jobs for businesses and residents alike.
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