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Last week i shone a light on the worrying health impacts of particulate pollution as part of our investigation into chicken megafarms in the UK.
Now the Government has published its annual air quality statistics, providing fresh insight into how these toxic nanoparticles are clogging up the air in our cities.
On the face of it, this update looks like good news. The smallest and deadliest of these particles, known as PM2.5, reached their lowest average concentration since records began in 2009. The Government looks broadly on track to meet its particulate pollution targets.
But the good news stops there. Many cities in the UK are still recording PM2.5 levels that are double the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended level. The UK Government has previously been criticised for its “outdated” targets, that are more lenient than WHO recommendations.
Plus, as several experts told me, there really is no “safe” level for this type of pollution.
PM2.5 are so tiny that they can bypass many of the body’s defences – including nose hairs and lungs – to reach the bloodstream and lodge in our heart or our brain. As a result they have been linked to problems including cancer, dementia and cardiovascular problems.
As i has highlighted, ammonia from agriculture is one source of this pollution. Another source that is a particular concern among clean air campaigners is wood-burning stoves. A boom in popularity for this “cosy” home heating option in recent years means PM2.5 emissions from stoves has increased by almost 20 per cent since 2012.
Given the latest evidence on the prevalence of dirty air in our cities, perhaps it’s time the Government stepped in.
