Is smog and air pollution getting worse?

A recent report has indicated that air pollution in Britain is set to get worse, partly due to the rising number of people who are choosing to drive diesel powered vehicles. Worryingly emissions from diesel engines are thought to be particularly dangerous according to health experts. One of the largest contributing factors to city pollution is fumes from diesel powered cars. Many cities including Sheffield, Leicester, Bradford, Birmingham and Bristol are looking at following London’s lead to introduce low emission zones to try and curb the rise in pollution. Diesel engines actually emit less carbon dioxide, the infamous greenhouse gas, than petrol engines. However they release fine PM10 particles and toxins such as nitrogen dioxide. To tackle this, some are suggesting additional taxes on diesel cars – drivers are fuming about this (no pun intended). PM10 particles and nitrogen oxide air can be particularly worrying for those who suffer from problems such as asthma, respiratory issues, heart problems, lung and chest problems, and allergies as the particles are fine enough to travel into our air ways and lungs causing irritation and in the very worst case scenario, lung disease. It’s thought that about 29,000 people in the UK die prematurely because of air pollution. The Department for Food Agriculture and Rural Affairs – Defra, has a ten point scale to measure air pollution. 10 being the highest level of pollution. Here’s a guide to the pollution scale: 1-3 There is no risk from pollution. 4-6 There is moderate risk from pollution; those with heart and lung problems should reduce outdoor activity. 6-10 There is a high risk from pollution; the elderly and those with breathing problems should reduce outdoor activity. Even those without health issues could experience irritated eyes, coughing and sore throats. In April pollution levels in London reached 10 with sand and dust blown over from a Sahara Desert storm creating thick smog over the south of England. This was just a freak event but is there anything to suggest pollution is getting worse? But is pollution getting worse? Unfortunately the answer is likely yes. “The way things are going, pollution levels are likely to rise in the coming months and years. Traffic emissions are a big and growing problem in the UK because of the dramatic increase in diesel cars in the last few years.” “Diesel engine emissions pose the single greatest public health challenge for UK cities in the years to come” claims Timothy Baker of King’s College London told The Independent. So what can be done to keep safe as pollution levels rise? That’s the topic of our next post! Photo taken by N Chadwick.