Burning trash is a bigger threat to health and a more detrimental contributor to air pollution than once thought.

Trash-burning is a common practice in the developing world but unbeknownst to those who routinely do it, burning trash releases harmful mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons into the environment.

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These substances have been known to cause cancer, may dim the sun's rays and may clog the lungs of living creatures, said the National Center for Atmospheric Research in a new study.

The study states that around 29 percent of the global emissions of mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are due to burning garbage.

Lead author Christine Wiedinmyer was prompted to do the study because of the clearly visible air pollution in Ghana villages.

"Air pollution across much of the globe is significantly underestimated because no one is tracking open-fire burning of trash. The uncontrolled burning of trash is a major source of pollutants, and it's one that should receive more attention," according to Wiedinmyer.

In China, over two percent of air pollutants comes from burning trash.

Air pollution resulting from trash-burning will more likely rise in the next few years with a massive percentage of the developing world becoming consumers of disposable and unrecycled goods,

The study found that more than 40 percent of the world's garbage is set to flame.

After finding out the magnitude of the pollutant problem, Wiedinmyer's team will follow-up the study. They plan to track the movement and consequences brought about by the pollutants to determine where the garbage-burning has the biggest negative effect.

Wiedinmyer is hoping that the study will aid countries in coming up with agendas for cleaner air.

 "Most health regulations are based on the total mass of particles in the air, based on their size. But that's not getting at what the particles are made of. That can have different health impacts as well as different impacts on the climate," she said.