World's pollution hotspots mapped

A US-based environmental charity has documented what it calls the 10 most polluted places on the planet.

The Blacksmith Institute says three of the hotspots are in Russia, with the remainder dotted in various countries.

Heavy metals such as lead are the main sources of pollution, with 10 million people affected across the locations.

The institute surveyed scientists and environmental bodies across the world to compile its list, and is running clean-up projects in some of the sites.

The charity has focused largely on locations where people are affected by the pollution. ( continue article )