Nitrogen makes up 78% of the Earth's atmosphere. We use it for many different things, like fertilizer in agriculture and as a refrigerant in liquid form. But when mixed with methane and volatile organic compounds, nitrogen is another damaging air pollutant and leads to an estimated loss of 79-121 million tonnes of crops every year.
Particulate matter, which is damaging to people's lungs can also form from nitrogen compounds. If we were to recapture half the nitrogen we waste on the planet and use it in the circular economy, it would have a street value of $100 billion a year.
Air pollution is the theme for World Environment Day on 5 June 2019. The quality of the air we breathe depends on the lifestyle choices we make every day. Learn more about how air pollution affects you, and what is being done to clean the air. What are you doing to reduce your emissions footprint and #BeatAirPollution?
The 2019 World Environment Day is hosted by China.
