Pollution

Environmental exposures, from air and ocean pollution to climate change and urbanization, have profound and far-reaching effects on human health and well-being. This hub brings together authoritative, evidence-based articles that examine the health risks associated with pollution, microplastics, toxicants, and environmental changes, alongside practical strategies for risk reduction and public health protection. Explore how environmental hazards influence conditions such as asthma, neurological health, pregnancy outcomes, and skin health, and discover the vital connections between planetary health and individual well-being. These resources support informed decision-making for clinicians, policymakers, and the public alike.

Bacterial Risks at Beaches and Evidence-Based Safety Strategies

Beaches face escalating risks from microbial contamination due to climate change and human activity, increasing the burden of waterborne illnesses for swimmers. Integrating advanced monitoring technologies, improved public education, and policy reforms is essential for protecting beachgoers’ health.

Pollution and Mental Health

Health Effects of Artificial Light

What are the Health Effects of Exhaust Emissions?

Autism and Particulate Air Matter

Air Pollution and Lung Health

Can Weather or Air Pollution Trigger Migraine?

The Effect of Climate Change on Asthma

What are the Health Effects of Exhaust Emissions?

Air Pollution and Eye Health

Pollution and Alzheimer's

What is Planetary Health?

See more featured articles »

Environmental Hazards in Pregnancy

Ocean Pollution and Human Health

How PFAS Are Impacting Human Health

5 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Microplastic Intake

Pollution and Mental Health

How do Microplastics Affect Our Health?

The Role of Toxicology in Wildlife Conservation

Anti-Pollution Skincare: Protecting Skin in Urban Environments

How Air Pollution Impacts Brain Health

Healthcare During The Climate Crisis

How Does the Health of Our Planet Affect Our Own Health?

Environmental Health Hazards: An Overview

How has COVID-19 Influenced Pollution?

AAM - Air pollution and Alzheimer's

What Impact does Climate Change have on Our Health?

How Composting Protects Public Health and Our Planet

Urbanization and Human Health

Latest Pollution News and Research

Meeting WHO's air pollution guidelines could save nine million lives

Meeting the World Health Organization's recommended annual guidelines for air pollution resulting from fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide has the potential to save more than 9 million lives a year in low- and middle-income countries, say University of Cambridge researchers.

10 Nov 2026

Cleaner bedroom air linked to improved blood sugar control

Using portable filters to reduce exposure to air pollution during sleep may stabilize the large spikes in blood sugar experienced by people with prediabetes, a condition in which sugar (glucose) levels are higher than normal, a new study shows.

8 Nov 2026

Epidemiologist investigates environmental risks to protect vulnerable cancer patients

Judy Ou, PhD, MPH, is an epidemiologist-which is, according to her, "the nerdiest kind of detective ever."

6 Nov 2026

China's stricter air quality standards can avert over 200,000 deaths

China introduced a 35 µg m⁻³ annual PM₂.₅ limit in 2012 and later cut population-weighted exposure from 62.8 to 29.7 µg m⁻³ between 2013 and 2024 through clean air actions.

6 Nov 2026

Metal fumes, drinking habits and dementia: What a new study found

This study examines how workplace chemicals and lifestyle habits may influence Lewy body dementia risk, revealing potential sex differences in exposure effects.

6 Nov 2026

Over 9 million lives could be saved every year if countries met WHO air quality guidelines

Meeting the World Health Organization’s recommended annual guidelines for air pollution resulting from fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide has the potential to save more than 9 million lives a year in low- and middle-income countries, say University of Cambridge researchers.

6 Nov 2026

Public health experts demand tighter global restrictions on fireworks

Fireworks pose an underestimated danger to public health and require stronger regulations and sustained public education campaigns to help prevent devastating, yet entirely avoidable injuries, warn US experts in The BMJ today.

5 Nov 2026

Workplace exposure to petroleum-based lubricants linked to higher MS risk

Exposure to petroleum-derived lubricants at work, including engine oil, hydraulic oil and cutting fluids used to cool or lubricate metal during metalworking, is associated with higher odds of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published November 4, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Nov 2026

Skin barrier disruption exacerbates chronic dermatological and systemic conditions

Your skin works hard for you every day, quietly shielding you from the outside world while telling a story about what is happening on the inside.

3 Nov 2026

A hotter world could have cleaner air, but deadlier heatwaves

Using the extreme heat conditions of 2018–2019, researchers modelled how global warming of 2°C and 2.75°C could affect heatwaves, air pollution and associated mortality across six world regions. The simulations showed increased heatwave-related deaths in every region, particularly South America, while ozone and fine particulate pollution declined in many areas under the higher warming scenario, highlighting contrasting health risks under fixed present-day conditions.

2 Nov 2026

Extreme heat spikes hospital intensive care cardiac arrest admissions

As daily temperatures climbed above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (F) across the U.S., so did the rate of out-of-hospital (OHCA) cardiac arrest admissions to hospitals intensive care units (ICUs); however, the heat didn't appear to impact the overall outcomes of people admitted for cardiac arrest during heat waves compared to other times, according to new, independent, preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's Resuscitation Science Symposium 2026.

2 Nov 2026

Hospital sewers promote antibiotic resistant bacteria, new study finds

Antibiotics excreted by patients promote antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospital sewers, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

29 Oct 2026

Living near water-polluting facilities linked to higher risk of rare movement disorder

People who live near industrial facilities that pollute the water supply may be more likely to develop a rare movement disorder called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), according to a study published October 28, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

28 Oct 2026

Climate change intensifies global health risks, Lancet Countdown report warns

The 2026 Report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change finds that many of the health risks and harms of climate change grew faster in the decade since the Paris Agreement was introduced (2016–2025) than in the decade before it (2006–2015).

27 Oct 2026

Rutgers study links prenatal wildfire smoke exposure to autism risk

A Rutgers-led analysis of health insurance records found that exposure to fine particles from wildfire smoke during pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of autism diagnosis in children, with the strongest associations during the second and third trimesters.

27 Oct 2026

Could a few days of annual extreme heat raise dementia risk?

Extreme outdoor heat is associated with higher dementia risk, especially in socially vulnerable areas, emphasizing the need for targeted community strategies.

27 Oct 2026

Researchers call for coordinated action to protect European sleep health

A new paper from the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the Early Career Network of the European Sleep Research Society warns that sleep health is becoming a growing public health challenge across Europe and is calling for coordinated action to protect it.

21 Oct 2026

$52 million study to investigate why some infants develop lasting lung infections

A Michigan Medicine-led research consortium has secured approval for up to $52 million in federal funding to launch a multicenter study examining why some young children recover fully from viral lower respiratory tract infections while others develop severe illness or lasting problems such as asthma.

20 Oct 2026

Residential greenery linked to lower dementia risk in older adults

Urban residents with more greenery within 100 meters of their homes have a lower risk of developing dementia over time.

19 Oct 2026

Highly sensitive people react to social cues over physical environments

Environmental sensitivity may be a misleading name for a personality trait that appears to have less to do with how people respond to their physical environments and more to do with how they are affected by social experiences and perceived threats.

15 Oct 2026