New research links Delhi’s thick smogs to burning of plastics
Plastic waste in our oceans is now a well-known issue but new data shows that plastic is adding to air pollution in Indian cities too.
For several years scientists were puzzled why Delhi was more susceptible to thick smogs than other polluted cities such as Beijing. New research links this to tiny chloride particles in the air that help water droplets to form. Globally, chloride particles are mainly found close to coasts, due to sea spray, but the air in Delhi and over inland India contains much more than expected.