Asphalt is so ubiquitous that most people never give it a second thought, but a growing body of research suggests that this petroleum-based material – which lines millions of kilometres of roads worldwide – may be quietly damaging our health in ways that have been largely ignored.
The 2025 IQ Air World air quality report, had analysed air quality data from 9,446 cities in 143 countries, regions, and territories around the world.