Air pollution 'pandemic' shortens lives by 3 years: study

Researchers say the health impacts of air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels is significantly underestimated by authorities. [AFP/File / Farooq NAEEM]

A 'pandemic' of air pollution shortens lives worldwide by nearly three years on average, and causes 8.8 million premature deaths annually, scientists said Tuesday.

Eliminating the toxic cocktail of molecules and lung-clogging particles cast off by burning oil, gas and coal would restore a full year of life expectancy, they reported in the journal Cardiovascular Research.