The environment is a first order issue for lung health

In this issue of the Journal we publish the first of a series of State of the Art articles on environmental health. This is a topic that is front and centre for those concerned about lung health.Not only are the airways and lungs the major portal of entry for airborne pollutants, they are also a major site of disease caused by air pollutants, including asthma-like syndromes, chronic obstructive pulmo-nary disease, pneumonitis, pneumoconiosis and lungmalignancy. Of all the environmental causes of ill-health, air pollutants are, by far, the major contributor to death and burden of disease. Furthermore, the burden of this exposure falls particularly on those living in low- and middle-income countries, where the capacity to reduce exposure and mitigate the effects is weakest. This series is thus a timely reminder of the importance of the environment to lung health