"severe pollution"

#13037023

29 November 2025

Workers wash used plastic bags in the polluted waters of the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh, before drying and processing them for resale. Despite the river's severe contamination, informal recycling workers use the water as part of their daily routine, highlighting the environmental degradation and hazardous conditions surrounding Dhaka's plastic-recycling trade.

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#13037029

29 November 2025

A worker spreads freshly washed plastic bags across an open riverside area to dry under the sun after cleaning them in the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The recycled plastic is later melted and remanufactured, despite the environmental and health risks involved in this informal processing system.

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#13034833

28 November 2025

Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Friday morning, experiences its worst air quality of the season, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 340, a level classified as ''hazardous.'' Although the capital frequently suffers from severe pollution, conditions as poor as this morning are rarely observed. This photo is taken by Dhaka Fatullah.

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#13034835

28 November 2025

Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Friday morning, experiences its worst air quality of the season, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 340, a level classified as ''hazardous.'' Although the capital frequently suffers from severe pollution, conditions as poor as this morning are rarely observed. This photo is taken by Dhaka Fatullah.

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#13034838

28 November 2025

Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Friday morning, experiences its worst air quality of the season, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 340, a level classified as ''hazardous.'' Although the capital frequently suffers from severe pollution, conditions as poor as this morning are rarely observed. This photo is taken by Dhaka Fatullah.

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#13034842

28 November 2025

Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Friday morning, experiences its worst air quality of the season, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 340, a level classified as ''hazardous.'' Although the capital frequently suffers from severe pollution, conditions as poor as this morning are rarely observed. This photo is taken by Dhaka Fatullah.

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#13034847

28 November 2025

Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Friday morning, experiences its worst air quality of the season, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 340, a level classified as ''hazardous.'' Although the capital frequently suffers from severe pollution, conditions as poor as this morning are rarely observed. This photo is taken by Dhaka Fatullah.

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#12871974

17 October 2025

Smoke billows from a residential area in Kathmandu, Nepal, on October 17, 2025, as a thin layer of smog shrouds the atmosphere of the bowl-shaped valley, with the Air Quality Index measuring above 100. The average readings of Kathmandu's pollution exceed annual average concentrations of PM2.5 of 5 ug/m3, while 24-hour average exposures should not exceed 15 ug/m3 more than 3 to 4 days per year, as prescribed by the World Health Organization. PM2.5 refers to particulate matter (solid or liquid droplets) in the air less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. It is among the most dangerous pollutants that can get past the nose and throat to penetrate the lungs and even the bloodstream. PM2.5 particles are small and are also likely to stay suspended in the air for long, increasing the chances of people inhaling them. According to Nepal's Environmental Protection Agency's air quality index, an air quality reading of 151-200 is considered unhealthy, causing everyone to experience problems and sensitive groups to feel more severe effects. When air quality reaches 201-300, it is considered a very unhealthy level, and health risks increase for everyone in the area. When it crosses 300, it becomes hazardous, meaning that the air is of extremely poor quality and poses serious health risks to everyone.

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#12871970

17 October 2025

A portion of Kathmandu, Nepal, is covered by a thin layer of smog that shrouds the atmosphere of the bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley on October 17, 2025, with the Air Quality Index measuring above 100. The average readings of Kathmandu's pollution exceed the annual average concentrations of PM2.5 of 5 ug/m3, while 24-hour average exposures should not exceed 15 ug/m3 more than 3-4 days per year, as prescribed by the World Health Organization. PM2.5 refers to particulate matter (solid or liquid droplets) in the air less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. It is among the most dangerous pollutants that can get past the nose and throat to penetrate the lungs and even the bloodstream. PM2.5 particles are small and are also likely to stay suspended in the air for long, increasing the chances of people inhaling them. According to Nepal's Environmental Protection Agency's air quality index, an air quality reading of 151-200 is considered unhealthy, causing everyone to experience problems and sensitive groups to feel more severe effects. When air quality reaches 201-300, it is considered a very unhealthy level, and health risks increase for everyone in the area. When it crosses 300, it becomes hazardous, meaning that the air is of extremely poor quality and poses serious health risks to everyone.

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#12871973

17 October 2025

Smoke billows from a residential area in Kathmandu, Nepal, on October 17, 2025, as a thin layer of smog shrouds the atmosphere of the bowl-shaped valley, with the Air Quality Index measuring above 100. The average readings of Kathmandu's pollution exceed annual average concentrations of PM2.5 of 5 ug/m3, while 24-hour average exposures should not exceed 15 ug/m3 more than 3-4 days per year, as prescribed by the World Health Organization. PM2.5 refers to particulate matter (solid or liquid droplets) in the air less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. It is among the most dangerous pollutants that can get past the nose and throat to penetrate the lungs and even the bloodstream. PM2.5 particles are small and are also likely to stay suspended in the air for long, increasing the chances of people inhaling them. According to Nepal's Environmental Protection Agency's air quality index, an air quality reading of 151-200 is considered unhealthy, causing everyone to experience problems and sensitive groups to feel more severe effects. When air quality reaches 201-300, it is considered a very unhealthy level, and health risks increase for everyone in the area. When it crosses 300, it becomes hazardous, meaning that the air is of extremely poor quality and poses serious health risks to everyone.

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#12871975

17 October 2025

A portion of Kathmandu, Nepal, is covered by a thin layer of smog that shrouds the atmosphere of the bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley on October 17, 2025, with the Air Quality Index measuring above 100. The average readings of Kathmandu's pollution exceed the annual average concentrations of PM2.5 of 5 ug/m3, while 24-hour average exposures should not exceed 15 ug/m3 more than 3-4 days per year, as prescribed by the World Health Organization. PM2.5 refers to particulate matter (solid or liquid droplets) in the air less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. It is among the most dangerous pollutants that can get past the nose and throat to penetrate the lungs and even the bloodstream. PM2.5 particles are small and are also likely to stay suspended in the air for long, increasing the chances of people inhaling them. According to Nepal's Environmental Protection Agency's air quality index, an air quality reading of 151-200 is considered unhealthy, causing everyone to experience problems and sensitive groups to feel more severe effects. When air quality reaches 201-300, it is considered a very unhealthy level, and health risks increase for everyone in the area. When it crosses 300, it becomes hazardous, meaning that the air is of extremely poor quality and poses serious health risks to everyone.

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#12617643

5 August 2025

Haze from wildfire smoke is seen in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on August 03, 2025. Environment Canada issues an air quality warning today as smoke from wildfires burns in the Prairie Provinces. Residents are urged to limit their time spent outdoors and reschedule outdoor sports, activities, and events. Smoke may cause mild irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, and may lead to headaches or a mild cough as well as wheezing, chest pains, or severe cough.

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#12617644

5 August 2025

Haze from wildfire smoke is seen in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on August 4, 2025. Environment Canada issues an air quality warning today as smoke from wildfires burns in the Prairie Provinces. Residents are urged to limit their time spent outdoors and reschedule outdoor sports, activities, and events. Smoke may cause mild irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, and may lead to headaches or a mild cough as well as wheezing, chest pains, or severe cough.

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#12617645

5 August 2025

A woman holds an umbrella to protect against the heat as haze from wildfire smoke blankets the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on August 4, 2025. Environment Canada issues an air quality warning today as smoke from wildfires burns in the Prairie Provinces. Residents are urged to limit their time spent outdoors and reschedule outdoor sports, activities, and events. Smoke may cause mild irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, and may lead to headaches or a mild cough as well as wheezing, chest pains, or severe cough.

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#12586404

26 July 2025

Merlie assists a child while eating at their submerged store beside Laguna Lake in Rizal, Philippines, on July 26, 2025. Laguna Lake exceeds its critical level of 12.50 meters due to Typhoon Wipha and the southwest monsoon, reaching 12.62 meters as of July 24. This overflow severely impacts communities, as homes are submerged and thousands are displaced. Small businesses close, daily wage earners lose income, and local markets are disrupted, causing widespread financial hardship. The lake's vulnerability is exacerbated by severe environmental degradation, particularly from plastic and water pollution. Improper waste disposal and agricultural runoff continually flush contaminants into the lake, accelerating eutrophication and siltation, which further reduces its water-holding capacity.

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#12586405

26 July 2025

Samuel, 65, makes a water barrier to avoid plastic waste spillage inside their store in Laguna Lake in Rizal, Philippines, on July 26, 2025. Laguna Lake exceeds its critical level of 12.50 meters due to Typhoon Wipha and the southwest monsoon, reaching 12.62 meters as of July 24. This overflow severely impacts communities, as homes are submerged and thousands are displaced. Small businesses close, daily wage earners lose income, and local markets are disrupted, causing widespread financial hardship. The lake's vulnerability is exacerbated by severe environmental degradation, particularly from plastic and water pollution. Improper waste disposal and agricultural runoff continually flush contaminants into the lake, accelerating eutrophication and siltation, which further reduces its water-holding capacity.

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