The holidays are approaching. You want to enjoy stunning scenery and fresh air ?

Dreaming of sandy beaches and turquoise water for your vacation? Winning favor NGO Blacksmith Institute and Green Cross Switzerland branch can help you avoid unpleasant surprises. It ranks the 10 most polluted in the world in 2013, there sites where garbage piles up and the heavy metal contamination is such that it condemns the local population to die prematurely. Far from the idyllic setting you want for your vacation ...

Of the 10 destinations to avoid, two are located in Russia, two others in Indonesia and three in Africa. Countries where public power is not enough to regulate this industry and agriculture. Thousands of tons of waste and end up dumped by local manufacturers in rivers as is the case in Kalimantan and Citarum River in Indonesia. Results: people are addicted to heavy metals and soils are loaded with nickel, chromium, lead and mercury when it is not covered with trash.
200 million people exposed to excessive pollution

But this list is also debunk the conventional wisdom. Indeed, while the media are regularly on air pollution problems as a few weeks ago with paralysis Harbin or this girl diagnosed with lung cancer eight years, China and India not have any site in the 2013 ranking also at Chernobyl in Ukraine is very polluted, almost 30 years after the explosion of the Central Lenin. Despite reassurances from local authorities and housing in place to protect the site, the report stresses that the environment is permanently contaminated.

For now, Fukushima is not listed in the ranking. The reason? Blacksmith and Green Cross rank sites according to the degree of health impact on the population. However, the effects on the population in Japan will only be visible in a few years and people have been evacuated quickly.

Beyond the ranking, the study reveals overwhelming numbers. From 2012 to 2013, the population exposed to a serious risk of pollution has increased from 125 million to 200 million. In developing countries, 23% of deaths were due to environmental factors. Regarding diseases, 80% of them are caused by the pollution. But under pressure from residents and NGOs, efforts began to be made to improve the situation on the sadly known sites.

Methodology: Over 2,000 locations in 49 countries around the world (none in North America and Western Europe) were studied.