The World's Dirtiest Cities | Popular Science

The World's Dirtiest Cities | Popular Science

Kind of a lame list. Milan is polluted by Western European standards, and Pittsburgh is certainly not one of America's cleanest spots, but neither could be anywhere near the ten dirtiest in the world. Both would be considered garden spots in Russia, India, or China.

These cities are on the list and probably should be: Sumgayit, Azerbaijan; Linfen, China; La Oroya, Peru; Norilsk, Russia; Kabwe, Zambia; Mexico City.

The following are some of the most polluted places left off the list which should replace places like Milan: Dzerzhinsk, Russia, where chemical weapons were produced and the life expectancy is 42; Chernobyl, Ukraine, where millions of people are still threatened by excess levels of radioactivity; Tianying, China, which produces much of that country's industrial output; Sukinda, India, where many mines operate without any environmental regulations and the drinking water is filled with chromium (mmm, chromium!); Vapi, India, where the soil and groundwater are completely contaminated with pesticides. These are places that make Gary, Indiana seem like an unspoiled South Pacific paradise.

Here are the most and least polluted cities, according to other authorities. Forbes named Calgary as the world's LEAST polluted major city.