The World Health Organization on Tuesday said that air pollution in Ulan Bator annually kills some 1,600 people, local media reported Wednesday.

A WHO research report released Tuesday said the dust particles concentration in the air is 35 times the standard recommended by the health organization, and that lung and heart disease caused by air pollution affects 8,500 people every year.

The WHO also said the air pollution situation is especially severe in the city's ger districts where the residents burn coal, firewood, and many kinds of garbage to get through Mongolia's long, harsh winters.

The WHO added that power plants had also significantly contributed to the air pollution in the city and accounted for some 30 to 40 percent of the total amount.

Specialists have recommended that the government build the city's centralized electric-heating systems and apartment blocks to replace the ger districts to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions.