Londoners saw the worst air pollution in over a year earlier this month. On the 14th, pollution levels were an eight on the air pollution index for the first time since March 2021.
An area of high pressure over the UK and Europe alongside light winds meant pollution, rather than moving away, settled over the city. Individuals at risk, such as the elderly and those with heart or respiratory conditions, were instructed to “reduce strenuous physical exertion, particularly outdoors”.
Experts initially predicted the pollution to reach a ten on the scale and advised the general public to “reduce physical exertion, particularly outdoors”. It’s the first very high pollution warning in over three years.
Fine particulate matter, produced by incomplete combustion in vehicles, measures only 2.5 microns across – 20 times smaller than a human hair. Despite their small size, they pose a major threat to human health. Once inhaled, they can inflame airways, impair lung function and worsen pre-existing conditions like asthma.
Of the 600,000 thousand people diagnosed with asthma in London, air pollution triggers the condition in 67.5% of them. A 2018 study found children living in the city had significantly smaller lung capacity.
The worst air quality is found in the most deprived areas of London and where there are large Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. The risk posed to human health often exceeds recommended levels, sometimes with devastating consequences.
Last year, air pollution a coroner report found air pollution was a cause of death in the landmark case of Ella Kissi-Debrah, a nine-year-old girl from London who died in 2013. The area she lived in had pollution levels six times higher than World Health Organisation guidelines. Nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter levels were especially high, inducing and exacerbating her asthma.
Why are pollution levels climbing so rapidly now?
As the country slowly emerges from the pandemic, car use in the capital has returned to pre-pandemic levels, whilst public transport remains empty. As fear of covid remains high, the London Underground is almost 50% quieter than pre-covid, and bus use has only reached 70% of its pre-pandemic capacity.
Without cutting down on vehicles, Londoners will continue to see periods of high pollution that interrupt their day-to-day life. To keep Londons climate pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030, car journeys need to fall by 27%.
