New report reveals scale of air pollution health challenges
- EarthSense
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
A recent report from the Royal College of Physicians, which represents around 40,000 physicians worldwide, revealed that air pollution in the UK is costing more than £500 million per week in ill health, NHS care and productivity losses, with 99% of the population breathing in ‘toxic air’.
The ‘A breath of fresh air: responding to the health challenges of modern air pollution’ report went on to say that ‘dirty air is killing more than 500 people per week, with health harm to almost every organ of the body caused by air pollution, even at low concentrations’.
The college’s report concluded that: ‘with an impact on mortality and healthy life expectancy, the effects on individuals, society, the economy and the NHS were huge and the threat air pollution posed to public health was greater than previously understood’.
Addressing air pollution as major public health issue
Commenting on the findings in the report, Tom Hall, Chief Executive of EarthSense said: “The damaging health impacts of air pollution have been growing for several years and we’re now at a real crisis point, where it’s now one of the leading causes of death and disease worldwide. Lack of air quality can have a detrimental effect on a whole host of physical and mental health issues, and that is adding an extra layer of patient care to an already struggling NHS.
“The report also suggests that there is no safe level of air pollutants which makes our work in helping to monitor air quality across the UK and internationally such a core component of any plans to mitigate this problem.
“Although the Government recognised air pollution as a major public health issue in its recently-launched ‘Fit for the future: 10 Year Health Plan for England’, we support the Royal College of Physicians’ call for action from the government to tackle the crisis and its demand for ministers to ‘recognise air pollution as a key public health issue’.”
Monitors in action to capture air pollution data in West Midlands
Air quality monitors from EarthSense are increasingly being deployed in geographical areas of the UK to capture data that in turn, influences new strategies to improve public health.
These include working with Birmingham City Council to roll out a network of 376 real-time external indicative air quality sensors to participating schools throughout Birmingham.
The Zephyr® sensors are being installed onto the exterior façades of primary and secondary schools across the city. The monitors are equipped with an LED light that changes colour to display real-time air quality, which aims to make the problem visible and increase engagement with school children.
This initiative supports the Council’s commitment to raising awareness of the causes of air pollution, and the steps that can be taken to reduce emissions and exposure.
EarthSense has also deployed one of the largest hi-tech networks of sensors outside of London for the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). The sensors have been installed outside homes, schools, businesses, hospitals and sports centres, right across the region to provide accurate, near real-time data on levels of microscopic particles from wood burners, vehicle tyres, building sites and factories.
These tiny particulates can exacerbate long term health conditions, including asthma, coronary heart disease, strokes and lung cancer. As well as particulates, the sensors are monitoring Nitrogen oxides, primarily caused by transportation, which also contribute to the formation of ozone as a secondary pollutant, with ozone also being monitored.
Accessing this data will give local people a greater insight into pollution hotspots so they can take their own actions to improve their health and quality of life.