Effects of air pollution
Air pollutants have directly detrimental effects on health and the environment. Furthermore, they are instrumental in making human beings, plants and entire ecosystems more susceptible to other "stress factors" (e.g. pathogens, parasites and drought). Finally, air pollution in Switzerland is responsible for indirect costs amounting to billions of francs every year, which are not met by the polluter.
Effects of air pollution on health
With every breath we take, gases such as nitrogen dioxide and ozone are drawn into our airways and lungs, along with thousands of fine particles. They are deposited in the bronchi and alveoli, where they can cause both short- or long-term detrimental health effects.