Top Ten Most Polluted Places in the World, 2012
This Top Ten list was compiled by the Technical Advisory Board of the Blacksmith Institute, an environmental NGO based in New York. The criteria used in ranking include the size of the affected population, the severity of the toxins involved, and reliable evidence of health problems associated with the pollution.
| Country | Problem | Main Pollutant Exposure | Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linfen, China | Air Pollution | Coal dust, fly ash, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and arsenic | Inhalation |
| Bhopal, India | Industrial Chemicals | Isocyanate gas, pesticide production | Ingestion of contaminated groundwater |
| Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia | Artisanal Gold Mining | Mercury | Inhalation of airborne vapors |
| Kasargod, India | Pesticide | Endosulfan | Inhalation, ingestion |
| Dzerhinsk, Russia | Chemical weapons manufacture | Chemical waste | Ingestion of contaminated groundwater |
| Sumgayit, Azerbaijan | Industrial and Agricultural Chemical Production | Organic chemicals | Inhalation of airborne vapors |
| Tianying, China | Contaminated Surface Water | Lead | Inhalation, ingestion |
| Sukinda, India | Metals Processing and Mining | Hexavalent chromium | Inhalation, ingestion |
| Chernobyl, Ukraine | Radiation | Radioactive waste | Ingestion |
| Arctic Canada | Organic chemical accumulation | Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) | Ingestion |
Information Please® Database, © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
| Safe Drinking Water Reports and Hotline | Environment | User's Guide to Environmental Language |
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