Pollution Problems.
The Top 10 Cities.

Pollution Problems like untreated toxic industrial discharge, disease causing smog, and untreated sewage entering the food chain are just a few of the problems lying in wait for the unwary traveller.

And some of the worlds largest cities are in danger of becoming "slum cities... oceans of poverty containing islands of wealth".

Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities for Pollution.

• No.1 Dzerzhinsk, Russia:
  Population: 300,000.
  * Formerly secret manufacturer of chemical weapons like Sarin and VX Nerve Gas (ref:Blacksmith Institute).
  *450 km south-east of Moscow.
  * Soil and groundwater heavily polluted with arsenic, heavy metals, dioxins, phenols, etc.
  *Once named as the most chemically polluted city in the world by Guiness Book of World Records. (ref: www.huffingtonpost.com)
  
  
• No.2 Norilsk, Russia:
  Population: 134,000.
  * Rated Russia's "Most Polluted City" in 2010.
  * Ranked one of the world's most polluted places by Blacksmith Institute.
  * Center for heavy-metal smelting (cobalt, nickel, etc ).
  * Life expectancy 10-15 years below average for Russian mine workers.
  
  
• No.3 Linfen, China:
  Population:4.3 million.
  * Consistently ranked one of the "World's Most Polluted Cities".
  * Home to smelting plants, coal mines and iron foundries.
  * Continuously blanketed in smog, coal dust & foul sulfurous gases.
  
  
• No.4 Karachi, Pakistan:
  Population: 16.9 million... 13th largest "Megacity" in the world. (ref: Wikipedia)
  * Has major problems with untreated sewage and waste from factories.
  * Air pollution estimated to be 20 times WHO standards.
  
  
• No.5 Mumbai, India:
  Population:23.3 million... 5th largest "Megacity" in the world. (ref: Wikipedia)
  * Contains 40,000 small & large industries, many hazardous.
  * India's premier port, it is exposed to high levels of toxic and carcinogenic chemicals released from the largest chemical industry zone in Asia..
  * Latest BMC Environment Report for 2010 shows "cancer-causing particulate matter increased alarmingly".
  * Authorities purchase 42,000 litres of perfume to spray on the enormous, stinking waste dumps.
  
  
• No.6 New Delhi, India:
  Population: 23.9 million... 4th largest "Megacity" in the world. (ref: Wikipedia)
  * 3,000 tons of pollutants are spewed into the air each day by heavy industry and traffic.
  * Groundwater is being contaminated by untreated, toxic industrial discharge.
  * Increased risk of sewage entering the food chain via agriculture.
  
  
• No.7 Dhaka, Bangladesh:
  Population: 14 million... 19th largest "Megacity" in the world. (ref: Wikipedia)
  * Only 25% of city is connected to water-born sewage system; 30% to septic tanks.
  * 10,000 deaths each year due to air pollution.
  
  
  
• No.8 Lagos, Nigeria:
  Population: 12.1 million... 25th largest "Megacity" in the world. (ref: Wikipedia)
  *Nairobi based UN-Habitat warns Africa of "slum cities" danger; that rapid growth is leading to "oceans of poverty containing islands of wealth".
  
  
• No.9 Mexico City, Mexico:
  Population: 22.8 million... 6th largest "Megacity" in the world. (ref: Wikipedia)
  * Has highest levels of ground level ozone in the world (according to the WHO) as well as massive smog clouds containing carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. (ref: 24/7 Wall St)
  
  
  
• No.10 Taiyuan, Shanxi China:
  Population: 4.3 million.
  * Heavy industry and coal fired power stations are heavy polluters of air and water-ways.
  *Shamed in 2010 by China's State Environmental Protection Administration as one of the nation's worst offenders.
  
  

*Population figures for "Megacities" ref: Wikipedia.

Pollution Problems...Dzerzhinsk, Russia July 2009.

Pollution Problems... Karachi, Pakistan Sept 2009.

Pollution Problems... Dhaka, Bangladesh May 2009.