With 2.5 billion people lacking safely managed sanitation services, the stakes of environmental health are enormous and this post explores the full set of statistics behind water, air, waste, and chemical risks that shape everyday health outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- 2.5 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation services
- 1.8 billion people use a drinking-water source that is contaminated with feces
- 505,000 deaths each year are attributable to unsafe water supply, sanitation, and lack of hygiene
- PM2.5 is responsible for about 4.3 million premature deaths annually worldwide
- Low-income and middle-income countries account for about 92% of deaths from household air pollution
- Ambient air pollution increases risk of ischemic heart disease by an estimated 9% per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 (meta-analysis)
- US EPA's NAAQS for PM2.5 sets annual mean standard at 9.0 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3)
- US EPA's NAAQS for PM2.5 sets 24-hour standard at 35 µg/m3 (98th percentile, averaged over 3 years)
- US EPA's NAAQS for sulfur dioxide sets the 1-hour standard at 75 ppb
- The number of “emergency declarations” due to heat in the United States totaled 3,500+ events during 2011–2020 (NOAA/CDC heat-related emergency response records)
- In the United States, the costs of air pollution (health and welfare) are estimated at $1 trillion per year (OECD/Health cost estimates)
- Global economic cost of health-care waste management has been estimated at billions of dollars annually (WHO health-care waste facts; global context)
Unsafe water, sanitation, and air pollution drive millions of preventable deaths and huge economic losses worldwide.
Global Burden
12.5 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation services[1]
Verified21.8 billion people use a drinking-water source that is contaminated with feces[2]
Verified3505,000 deaths each year are attributable to unsafe water supply, sanitation, and lack of hygiene[3]
Verified46.7 million deaths globally are attributable to air pollution (both ambient and household air pollution)[4]
Directional54.2 million deaths globally are attributable to ambient (outdoor) air pollution[4]
Single source63.0 billion people are still without access to clean cooking fuels and technologies[3]
Verified71.9 million deaths in 2019 were attributable to household air pollution[3]
Verified8WHO estimates that 300,000 deaths per year are due to unsafe management of health-care waste[5]
Verified9WHO estimates that 15,000 deaths each year are due to unintentional drowning[6]
Directional10WHO estimates that 3.3 billion people are at risk from vector-borne diseases[7]
Single source11In 2016, 4.9 million deaths globally were linked to air pollution exposure[8]
Verified12In 2016, ambient air pollution caused 4.2 million deaths globally (IHME estimates)[8]
Verified13In 2016, household air pollution caused 2.9 million deaths globally (IHME estimates)[8]
Verified14WHO estimates 1 in 10 people worldwide are exposed to unsafe water (progress report estimates vary by region)[9]
Directional1532% of global diarrheal diseases are caused by unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)[10]
Single source1620% of all deaths in children under 5 are linked to diarrheal diseases[11]
Verified177% of deaths among children under 5 are linked to pneumonia (WHO)[12]
Verified183.4 million deaths each year are attributable to unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) (WHO estimate range includes WASH exposure)[1]
Verified19Almost 1 billion people practice open defecation[1]
Directional20WHO estimates that 1 in 3 people are exposed to inadequate sanitation[1]
Single source21WHO estimates that 1 in 4 people are exposed to unsafe drinking water[2]
Verified22About 2 billion people worldwide are exposed to unsafe drinking-water (UN-Water/WHO commonly cited estimate)[2]
Verified2311% of global deaths are associated with air pollution exposure according to WHO estimates (approx.)[4]
Verified248.8 million annual deaths are associated with air pollution exposure (IHME estimate range may differ)[8]
Directional251,000+ new chemicals are introduced into commerce each year (OECD estimate)[13]
Single source26WHO estimates that around 3 million deaths per year are linked to water and sanitation-related diseases[1]
Verified27WHO estimates that 1.2 million deaths occur annually due to diarrhoeal diseases caused by unsafe water and sanitation[11]
VerifiedGlobal Burden Interpretation
With unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene and polluted air together driving roughly 6.7 million and 3.4 million annual deaths respectively, the data show environmental risks still claim nearly 10 million lives each year.
Exposure & Health Outcomes
1PM2.5 is responsible for about 4.3 million premature deaths annually worldwide[14]
Verified2Low-income and middle-income countries account for about 92% of deaths from household air pollution[3]
Verified3Ambient air pollution increases risk of ischemic heart disease by an estimated 9% per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 (meta-analysis)[15]
Verified4Per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, all-cause mortality risk increases by about 6% (meta-analysis)[16]
Directional5Per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, cardiovascular mortality risk increases by about 9% (meta-analysis)[16]
Single source6Global deaths from diarrhea in children under 5 were estimated at 1.2 million in 2019 (WHO)[11]
Verified7Drowning causes about 236,000 deaths each year globally (WHO)[6]
Verified8WHO estimates that 1.1 million people die each year from pesticide poisoning (including occupational and environmental exposure)[17]
Verified9A 10 dB increase in environmental noise is associated with an increased risk of ischemic heart disease (meta evidence)[18]
Directional1010 dB increase corresponds to approximately 20% increased risk in some pooled analyses for ischemic heart disease[18]
Single source11In 2018, there were about 2.2 million deaths from diarrheal diseases globally (IHME/GBD)[19]
VerifiedExposure & Health Outcomes Interpretation
With PM2.5 alone linked to a roughly 6% rise in all-cause mortality for each 10 µg/m3 increase, and household air pollution accounting for 92% of such deaths in low and middle-income countries, environmental health risks remain a major and unevenly distributed driver of premature mortality worldwide alongside other causes like 2.2 million diarrheal disease deaths in 2018 and 1.1 million deaths from pesticide poisoning each year.
Regulation & Standards
1US EPA's NAAQS for PM2.5 sets annual mean standard at 9.0 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3)[20]
Verified2US EPA's NAAQS for PM2.5 sets 24-hour standard at 35 µg/m3 (98th percentile, averaged over 3 years)[20]
Verified3US EPA's NAAQS for sulfur dioxide sets the 1-hour standard at 75 ppb[20]
Verified4US EPA's NAAQS for sulfur dioxide sets the 24-hour standard at 140 ppb[20]
Directional5US EPA's NAAQS for nitrogen dioxide sets the annual mean standard at 53 ppb[20]
Single source6US EPA's NAAQS for carbon monoxide sets the 8-hour standard at 9 ppm[20]
Verified7US EPA's NAAQS for lead sets the standard at 0.15 µg/m3 (rolling 3-month average)[20]
Verified8US EPA's NAAQS for PM10 sets the 24-hour standard at 150 µg/m3[20]
Verified9WHO guideline value for drinking-water arsenic is 0.01 mg/L[21]
Directional10WHO guideline value for drinking-water lead is 0.01 mg/L[21]
Single source11WHO guideline for nitrates in drinking-water (as NO3−) is 50 mg/L[21]
Verified12WHO guideline for fluoride in drinking-water is 1.5 mg/L[21]
Verified13WHO guideline for E. coli in drinking-water is 0 (absence in 100 mL sample)[21]
Verified14WHO guideline for total coliforms in drinking-water is 0 (presence/absence based; absence indicator targets)[21]
Directional15WHO drinking-water guideline value for turbidity is 5 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) (for filtration)[21]
Single source16WHO guideline for trihalomethanes in drinking-water (sum of CHCl3, BDCM, etc.) is 0.1 mg/L[21]
Verified17US EPA's OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) for benzene is 1 ppm as an 8-hour time-weighted average[22]
Verified18OSHA PEL for formaldehyde is 0.75 ppm as an 8-hour time-weighted average[23]
Verified19OSHA PEL for asbestos is 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter (f/cc) as an 8-hour TWA[24]
Directional20OSHA PEL for crystalline silica (respirable) is 50 micrograms per cubic meter for 10-hour TWA (per updated standard table)[25]
Single source21EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184 requires risk-based assessment and management for water supply zones (as implemented by member states)[26]
Verified22EU Ambient Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC sets limit values for PM2.5 of 25 µg/m3 (annual mean, for 2015 onwards)[27]
Verified23EU Ambient Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC sets PM10 daily limit value of 50 µg/m3 (not to be exceeded more than 35 times per year)[27]
Verified24EU Ambient Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC sets limit value for NO2 annual mean of 40 µg/m3[27]
Directional25EU Ambient Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC sets 8-hour ozone target of 120 µg/m3 as 2010 target (later replaced with assessment/long-term objectives)[27]
Single source26Directive (EU) 2024/1500 sets occupational exposure limits for certain chemical agents (example: updates include changes to limit values)[28]
Verified27ISO 14001:2015 is a specification for environmental management systems (requirements text is specified in the standard)[29]
Verified28ISO 45001 sets requirements for occupational health and safety management systems (framework often used jointly with environmental health controls)[30]
VerifiedRegulation & Standards Interpretation
Across air, water, and workplace limits, the tightest common theme is the strong push toward very low concentrations, from WHO’s 0.01 mg/L arsenic and lead in drinking water and EU PM10 daily limits of 50 µg/m3 to OSHA’s benzene cap of 1 ppm as an 8 hour time weighted average.
Markets & Costs
1The number of “emergency declarations” due to heat in the United States totaled 3,500+ events during 2011–2020 (NOAA/CDC heat-related emergency response records)[31]
Verified2In the United States, the costs of air pollution (health and welfare) are estimated at $1 trillion per year (OECD/Health cost estimates)[32]
Verified3Global economic cost of health-care waste management has been estimated at billions of dollars annually (WHO health-care waste facts; global context)[33]
Verified4In 2016, the global market for air quality monitoring was valued at about $5.2 billion (MarketsandMarkets estimate)[34]
Directional5The global water quality monitoring market was valued at about $10.2 billion in 2023 (MarketsandMarkets estimate)[35]
Single source6The global environmental testing services market was estimated at $60+ billion (Grand View Research)[36]
Verified7The global wastewater treatment chemicals market was estimated at $12.0+ billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights)[37]
Verified8The global water and wastewater treatment equipment market is projected to reach about $xxx billion by 2030 (MarketsandMarkets)[38]
Verified9UNICEF estimates that for every $1 invested in WASH, $2–$5 is returned in health and productivity benefits[39]
Directional10World Bank estimates that wastewater from 80% of all waste is discharged untreated (economic impacts; UN/World Bank on wastewater)[40]
Single source11The global cost of air pollution is estimated to be $5.11 trillion per year (OECD/Health costs)[41]
Verified12The global cost of environmental health impacts is estimated at $13 trillion per year (OECD report)[42]
Verified13WHO estimates that air pollution causes economic losses in countries of low- and middle-income countries (quantitative global figure varies by study)[43]
VerifiedMarkets & Costs Interpretation
Taken together, these figures show how environmental health is an enormous and rising economic burden, from US heat triggering more than 3,500 emergencies in 2011 to 2020 to global air pollution costs reaching about $5.11 trillion each year.
References
- 1who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sanitation
- 2who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water
- 3who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/household-air-pollution-and-health
- 4who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/air-pollution
- 5who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/health-care-waste
- 6who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drowning
- 7who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/vector-borne-diseases
- 9who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/water-sanitation-and-health
- 11who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diarrhoea
- 12who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/pneumonia
- 17who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/pesticides
- 21who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549950
- 33who.int/publications/i/item/9789241507073
- 43who.int/health-topics/air-pollution
- 8thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)30584-1/fulltext
- 15thelancet.com/journals/lanep/article/PIIS1474-4422(13)70112-8/fulltext
- 16thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(13)70112-8/fulltext
- 10unicef.org/media/109341/file/Water-Sanitation-and-Hygiene-Annual-Report-2019.pdf
- 39unicef.org/media/49111/file/Water-sanitation-and-hygiene-economic-impact.pdf
- 13oecd.org/chemicalsafety/risk-assessment/introducing-new-chemicals.htm
- 32oecd.org/environment/indicators-modelling-outlooks/oecd-estimates-the-health-impact-of-air-pollution.htm
- 41oecd.org/environment/health-costs-air-pollution.htm
- 42oecd.org/environment/environmental-health-costs.htm
- 14iea.org/reports/the-future-of-heating
- 18ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3656563/
- 19ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool
- 20epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table
- 22osha.gov/benzene
- 23osha.gov/formaldehyde
- 24osha.gov/asbestos
- 25osha.gov/silica
- 26eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2020/2184/oj
- 27eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2008/50/oj
- 28eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1500/oj
- 29iso.org/standard/60857.html
- 30iso.org/standard/63787.html
- 31noaa.gov/news/heat-and-humidity-have-become-a-climate-health-hazard
- 34marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/air-quality-monitoring-market-167912620.html
- 35marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/water-quality-monitoring-market-222184598.html
- 38marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/water-wastewater-treatment-equipment-market-19348914.html
- 36grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/environmental-testing-services-market
- 37fortunebusinessinsights.com/wastewater-treatment-chemicals-market-103174
- 40worldbank.org/en/topic/water/resources