Air pollution a big killer in Sao Paulo

SAOPAULO: Air pollution kills more people annually than road accidents in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s most populous city which will host the opening game of the 2014 World Cup, a study found.

The survey by the Health and Environment out on Tuesday said at least 4,655 people died from pollution-related ailments in the city which is home to 11 million, compared with 1,556 killed in crashes.

With four million vehicles clogging the city streets every day, pollution was also a bigger killer than breast cancer and Aids, it added. At the state level, the split is also stark.

‘‘Few people know it, but every year, 15,000 people die throughout the state due to pollution, more than the 7,900 deaths from road accidents,’’ said institute president Evangelina Vormittag.