In This Respect, Armenia Has Something to Think About: Janoojaghyan

The President of the Audit Chamber, Atom Janoojaghyan, presented the progress of the "Strategic Program for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste" in parliament today, May 20. He addressed the consequences of municipal solid waste in Armenia, one of which is air pollution.

Janoojaghyan identified air pollution as one of the most significant environmental risks to human health. He then proposed that the parliament take appropriate measures.

According to the World Health Organization, air pollution leads to 4.2 million premature deaths annually, primarily due to cardiovascular, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases. Studies indicate that exposure to certain hazardous particles in the air increases the risk of developing diabetes by 15 percent, regardless of obesity levels.

In this regard, Janoojaghyan believes Armenia has serious considerations to make, as the level of air pollution in the country is reported to be six times higher than the standards set by the World Health Organization. Among 131 countries, Armenia ranks 22nd in terms of air pollution levels, exceeding the global average for pollution-related mortality by 19 percent, and the European average by approximately 2.6 times.