A small city outside Delhi has the world’s worst air | CNN

The city of Loni is less than one hours’ drive from Delhi, but this rapidly growing industrial base beats the Indian capital when it comes to one unenviable title. Last year, according to Swiss company IQAir, it had the world’s worst air quality. Here, fumes from factories, exhaust from traffic and dust from construction produce a toxic mix that makes breathing an act of endurance for its 700,000 residents. “Forget coughing, even breathing is difficult here,” said Manoj Kumar, 45, an e-rickshaw driver, who has lived in Loni his whole life. Resident Mohammad Mohmin Khan said the pollution is so inescapable that he wears a mask every time he steps onto the city’s poorly paved roads. “It’s here 24 hours a day,” he said. “No matter where you go.” To determine the list of most polluted cities, IQ Air looked at fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, one of the smallest but most dangerous pollutants. Last year, Loni’s average PM2.5 concentration was 112.5, according to IQ Air – 22 times the World Health Organization’s safe limit. When inhaled, PM2.5 particulates travel deep into lung tissue where it can enter the bloodstream, and has been linked to asthma, heart and