Tehran Times – Some 4,000 to 5,000 of people residing in the country’s capital lose their lives per year due to air pollution, according to statistics published by the ministry of health.

There are numerous vehicular trips per day in Tehran, which are the leading cause of air pollution in the capital, so that the air in Tehran is amongst the most polluted in the world, Tehran City Council member, Arash Milani, said.

According to a report by World Bank published in April 2018, Tehran is ranked 12th among 26 megacities in terms of ambient PM10 levels. After Cairo, Tehran is the most polluted non-Asian megacity. In 2016, the annual ambient level of PM10 was estimated at 77 micrograms per cubic meter. This is almost four times the WHO’s recommended threshold of 20 micrograms per cubic meter.

In the metropolis of Tehran alone over 4,000 people die of respiratory problems caused by air pollution annually, Milani lamented, Fars reported on Sunday.

However, the average concentration of major pollutants in Tehran has declined since the last 10 years, he added.

“Of course, this year, clean and healthy air quality stayed in the capital compared to the recent years. This means that any changes in transportation system, can have a significant impact on air pollution hitting Tehran,” he concluded.

According to the Air Quality Control Company, 25 days of excellent and 62 days of healthy air quality have been reported in the capital since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21), while unhealthy air quality for sensitive group hit the capital for 7 days.

Last year in the same period only 8 days of clean air were reported, but 15 days were lightly polluted or unhealthy for sensitive groups.