Why You Should Care Major pollutants .
Air pollution threatens the health of human beings and other living things on o ur plan et.
While often invisible, pollutants in the air create smog and acid rain, cause cancer or other serious health problems, diminish the protective ozone layer in the upper atmosphere and contribute to the potential for world climate change. Smog and other types of air pollution can lead to or aggravate respiratory, heart and other health problems. It can be particularly harmful to people with existing lung or heart disease, the elderly and the very young. However, not everyone who lives in these areas will have serious health problems. Level, extent and duration of exposure, age, individual susceptibility and other factors play a significant role in determining whether or not someone will experience pollution-related health problems.