AKIPRESS.COM - The World Health Organization released Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution Database 2016. WHO ranks cities on their average daily concentration of PM 2.5 (particles of 2.5 micrometers) and PM 10 (particles of 10 micrometers). The power plant, vehicles, asphalt, cement and ash dust are considered as the main sources of air pollution, according to GoGo Mongolia.

In 2014, India and China were home to 15 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world, according to the data. The other most polluted cities were in Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia. A new data of WHO reveals that no major change has seen in the data and largest cities in Africa, Middle East and South Asia are still lead the most polluted cities in the world.

Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia has not listed this year. However, Western media, such as Time and DW, has been writing that Mongolia's capital ranked the second most polluted city in the world last two and three years.

WHO measured the amount of toxic substances in the air of the largest cities. According to the WHO air quality guidelines, air pollution is safe if amount of particles in air is not higher than 25 microns but it is dangerous if particles amount is higher than 301 microns. However, Ulaanbaatar city has exceeded the standard by 10-15 times for several years.

Air quality department in Ulaanbaatar city reported on Oct. 13 that air pollution of several places in Ulaanbaatar is higher than the cities, which lead the WHO Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution Database 2016. In winter, the amount of particles in air will be doubled, particularly in ger-areas of Ulaanbaatar city where two third of population live in houses and traditional dwellings that have not connected to the central heating system. As the winter approaches, the citizens of Ulaanbaatar city face the worst air quality caused by heavy coal burning.

Preliminary Results from the Ugaar Randomized Intervention Study of Air Pollution and Fetal Growth shows that 130 children and 1,400 adults die from air pollution in Ulaanbaatar city annually.

According to the study conducted among the capital city, air pollution has been shown to exacerbate pneumonia of children and cardiovascular disease of adults.

Even peak season of air pollution has not started yet (which starts roughly from November to April) air quality index in ger-area is few times higher than the WHO air quality standard. The WHO recognizes Ulaanbaatar city as one of the most polluted cities of the world. Unfortunately, citizens of Ulaanbaatar city forget about the air pollution during warm seasons and even do not want to talk about it.