New study shows farm pollution greatest man-made small particle air pollutant

Insight

Cars and factories tend to be the most talked about sources of air pollution. But a new study from Columbia University’s Earth Institute shows farms are also a major source.

In some areas of the globe farm waste is actually the biggest man-made contributor to fine air particulate pollution that a type of pollution that can have dire consequences.

A recent study in the publication, Nature, found that aerosols are responsible for at least 3.3 million deaths a year globally.

CCTV America’s Karina Huber has more from the study’s author.

Susanna Bauer is the author of a new study that concludes emissions from farms are the biggest source of fine particulate pollution made by humans in many parts of the world.

“It is the agriculture that co-exists with the present pollution. So if we would look at that agriculture at a completely clean atmosphere, that wouldn’t happen. However the problem is that agricultural emissions mix with the polluted air,” Bauer said.

With a growing population, the use of fertilizers is only expected to rise. Bauer said there needs to be more oversight.

“So people in cities should be most concerned because that’s the places where we have the highest concentration of air pollution,” she added.


Franklin Holley on agricultural pollution

CCTV America’s Nathan King talked about the problem of agricultural pollution with Franklin Holley, the sustainable food program manager at the World Wildlife Fund.
Follow Nathan King on Twitter@nathanking