From the Guardian · · 1m 50s
Fog traps pollution as London chokes on fireworks
Still weather after Bonfire Night pushes air quality to dangerous levels across England's cities.
In brief
Still weather after Bonfire Night pushes air quality to dangerous levels across England's cities. Air pollution reached very high levels across English cities on Monday as fog trapped emissions from fireworks and bonfires, with Hillingdon recording eight times the WHO's daily guideline. Originally reported by the…
Pollution hits very high across England
Government monitoring showed 11 sites, mainly in London and Greater Manchester, reached the highest band on its ten-point index for particulate matter in the 24 hours to ten am on Monday.
Hillingdon records eight times WHO limit
In Hillingdon, west London, fine particles PM two point five peaked at a twenty-four-hour average of one hundred twenty-nine micrograms per cubic metre, more than eight times the World Health Organization's daily guideline.
Fog and fireworks trap emissions
Jane Burston, CEO of the Clean Air Fund, said the pollution likely came from autumn celebrations combined with foggy, windless weather that kept emissions trapped near ground level.
“It's a combination of the weather, which has been foggy and not windy at all, and then the fireworks and bonfires and Diwali.”
Dangerous for everyone, especially vulnerable
Burston warned that people breathing particulate matter concentrations five to ten times above normal annual levels face serious health risks including asthma attacks, coughing and wheezing.
“If you've got asthma or a lung condition, you absolutely will not have wanted to go outside this morning or yesterday.”
Calls for better forecasts and alerts
Burston called for better pollution forecasts, more widely accessible health alerts and stronger action to reduce emissions from wood burning and transport.
Phase out domestic burning in cities
Larissa Lockwood, director of campaigns at Global Action Plan, called for phasing out non-essential wood burning in towns and cities and implementing burn alerts when pollution levels are high.
Pollution expected to fall later in week
A Defra spokesperson said current still weather conditions are leading to high pollution levels but expect levels to fall later in the week as winds pick up.
What it means
Air pollution reached very high levels across English cities on Monday as fog trapped emissions from fireworks and bonfires, with Hillingdon recording eight times the WHO's daily guideline.
