Monday 11 September 2017

How polluted is your child's school playground? Find out here.


Client Earth has published an interactive map showing the proximity of schools to polluted roads and the level of exposure children will experience.

Go to LINK for the interactive map.  The site includes a link to your MP so you can raise the issue with her or him.

Client Earth said:
Across the country, children are exposed to illegal and harmful levels of air pollution while on their way to and at school.

In the UK, pupils at almost 1,000 schools are exposed to NO2 levels that endanger their health and will shape their future wellbeing.

Traffic pollution contains nitrogen dioxide, NO2, as well as microscopic soot particles – known as “particulate matter” (PM) – which are known to be especially harmful to health. These can be inhaled deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream.

While the UK meets legal limits of PM these are more than double the recommended guideline levels by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

We need the UK government to take urgent action to meet legal limits of NO2 in the shortest time possible.

It also needs to take action to reduce levels of PM. It should adopt legal limits for PM that match the safer WHO guideline levels to better safeguard our health.

Our government is failing our children. But you can force it to act.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That looks like a VERY black dot for Michaela Community School!!!

Martin Francis said...

This is what the website says about Michaela:
School name: Michaela Community School
Type of school: Secondary
Postcode: HA9 0UU
Local authority: Brent
How far is my child's school from an illegally polluted road?: 45 metres
What's the name of the road (if known)?: WEMBLEY PARK DRIVE
What's the level of air pollution near my child's school?: 42.9μg/m3 (the maximum legal limit for NO2 is 40μg/m3)
Should I be concerned?: Government data says this school is within 150 m of an illegally polluted road. Children's health could be affected. (The name of the road is wrong but the site on map correct) Also consider the new Ark Primary School is planned for York House next to Wembley Stadium Station and on a busy road. Surely planners should be avoiding such sites for new schools?