Latest news with #cleanair
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Children in Wales speak out about air pollution near their school
Children in Cardiff want to improve the air they breathe - especially near to their school. Environmental group, Friends of the Earth Cymru says that over 200 schools in Wales are in places where the air quality isn't meeting guidelines on air pollution set by the World Health Organization (WHO).More than half of those schools are in Cardiff, the group now wants the Welsh government to do more to tackle the problem. What do campaigners say? Friends of the Earth Cymru looked at information about harmful gases in the air collected by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). They say that the figures suggest that over 65,000 pupils in Wales may be breathing in air that isn't clean enough.A new law was passed last year to clean up the air in Wales, but Haf Elgar, director of the group, said it's just the start and more needs to be done. "This data proves that we've got a real crisis in air pollution in Wales, particularly in our cities. The list of 200 schools makes it obvious that we need to do more." Doctors agree that air pollution is a big problem. Dr Hilary Williams from the Royal College of Physicians said: "For people living with asthma, poor air quality directly affects their risk of hospital admission and impacts everyday activities."Clean air is a right, not a privilege and improving air quality must be treated as a core public health priority." What do children say? At one school in Cardiff, some children are aware of the problem and are trying to do their bit to help. Eleven-year-old Fatima is trying to get her family to stop using the car so much. "I usually tell my parents off for driving the car too much, and ask them to walk to school instead of drive. I live a bit far - but it's not too far - so I just walk."Another student, Seren, also 11, is helping by growing plants. "It would be better if we could all do something like plant more plants or make more cars on the road electric so they don't produce the fumes that go into the atmosphere," she 11, says she thinks about her friends who have asthma: "Children's bodies are still growing. They can get ill and it can affect their bodies," she said. What does the Welsh government say? The Welsh government has said that it is giving money to help councils make air cleaner through its Local Air Quality Management Support Fund. It is also planning to teach more people - especially children - about air pollution and how to council has said it welcomed the report from Friends of the Earth Cymru as "Cardiff is very much aware of the health concerns from poor air quality and its potential impact on our children".However, the council said its monitoring locations in the city are currently meeting existing laws on legal air quality and said that the schools it monitors recorded air pollution levels that are "significantly less" than the Friends of the Earth Cymru research suggested.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Environmental education for children at City Hall on Clean Air Day
Children from 13 Bradford schools gathered on Thursday (June 19) to learn about the impact of air pollution. The gathering, which took place on Clean Air Day, saw students taking part in hands-on activities at City Hall. They learnt about the workings of hydrogen fuel cars; explored sources of pollution in the home; and even designed their own low emission Lego cities. Children also had the opportunity to explore active travel routes and consider nature-related challenges. Partners from National Education Nature Park, Born in Bradford, and the Climate Ambassadors led sessions, as did Bradford Council's Sustainability Service and the Living Well and Active Travel teams. In the words of a spokesperson for City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, "schools in Bradford continue to be supported" by the Clean Air Schools programme, which is funded by funds generated from the Bradford Clean Air Zone. A spokesperson said: "Cleaner air has health benefits for everyone, but especially for the elderly and young children, as well as those with existing health conditions. "Pollutants in the air that have been traced to vehicles can lead to respiratory infections, decreased lung function, and heart problems, and can worsen symptoms of asthma. "Removing or limiting the number of polluting vehicles that can enter a city or town centre will improve its air quality, having a positive impact on the health of those living and working there." A spokesperson said that "the impacts of air pollution are felt by everyone, but not equally," and referred to potentially higher levels of air pollution exposure for those who live close to a busy main road, or in an area where many people have wood burning stoves. Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council's executive member for healthy people and places, said: "Clean Air Day is a great way for everyone to learn more about why any amount of air pollution can be damaging to our health. "It is fantastic to see so many schools taking part in this event and also our Clean Air Schools Programme, from assemblies and class workshops to grants and anti-idling activities - all designed to reduce air pollution and improve the health of our residents. "The Bradford Clean Air Zone is really making a difference: air quality is reducing both inside and outside the Clean Air Zone, and health benefits are being realised across the district." More information about the Clean Air Hub is available at
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
Dyson purifier hot + cool formaldehyde: The £700 air purifier that tackles heatwaves and hay fever
Over the last few years, we've seen a big rise in home improvement and DIY, a penchant for viral candles, and a surging number of flights booked as 2025 is predicted to be biggest ever summer for travel. It's a random mix of topics with one thing in common: air pollution. Leading doctors have warned that 99 per cent of the population are breathing in 'toxic air', and air pollution has been declared a public health crisis here in the UK, possibly leading to 30,000 preventable deaths this year alone. It's not just us adults impacted by bad air quality. Recent NHS England data shows that in some parts of the country, air pollution is linked to 33 per cent of childhood asthma cases. But it's not all doom and gloom, as there are several ways that we can ensure we're breathing clean air. If you want to purify your air at home, providing a better quality of living for you and your family, we may just have found the ticket. Enter the Dyson purifier hot + cool formaldehyde, the brand's bestselling air purifier (plus fan and heater). It's designed to clean the air not only of the usual particles picked up by purifiers with a high efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filter, but also to grab all formaldehyde-based resins that come from plywood and fibreboard, insulating materials, paint, wallpaper, varnishes, and some household cleaning products. This is no small task: formaldehydes are 500 times smaller than particles of 0.1 microns (10 microns is the limit for the naked eye) and to be efficient specifically at catching this chemical, Dyson created an intelligent formaldehyde sensor that's gel-based and will accurately catch and destroy it at a molecular level without confusing it with other volatile organic compounds. Is hayfever a problem in your house? Dyson's clever purifier also captures and removes the microscopic particles which may cause allergies, acting as a powerful shield against pollen, dust, pet dander and mould. When paired with a great vacuum, you're ready to tackle pollen season head-on. But these are all huge claims, and so we tested this purifier to find out if it could really clean our air. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Air pollution will be linked to 30,000 deaths in UK in 2025, leading doctors warn
Air pollution will be linked to around 30,000 deaths this year alone in the UK, with 99 per cent of the population breathing in 'toxic air', leading doctors have warned. There is 'no safe level' of air pollution, which negatively affects nearly every organ in the body, according to a new report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP). Despite emissions having reduced significantly in recent decades, even low concentrations of air pollution can have impacts on foetal development, cancer, heart disease, stroke, mental health conditions and dementia, the report warns. The doctors estimate air pollution has an economic cost of £27bn a year in healthcare costs and productivity losses, rising to as much as £50bn if wider impacts such as dementia are taken into account. More than 100 doctors, nurses, patients and activists will march to Downing Street from Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children on Thursday to deliver a letter calling for the government to commit to 'ambitious' air quality targets. 'Air pollution can no longer be seen as just an environmental issue – it's a public health crisis,' said RCP president Dr Mumtaz Patel. 'We are losing tens of thousands of lives every year to something that is mostly preventable and the financial cost is a price we simply cannot afford to keep paying. 'We wouldn't accept 30,000 preventable deaths from any other cause. We need to treat clean air with the same seriousness we treat clean water or safe food. It is a basic human right – and a vital investment in our economic future.' In a foreword to the report, England's chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty warned that air pollution remains the most important environmental threat to health, causing impacts felt throughout the course of people's lives. Prof Sir Chris said: 'It is an area of health where the UK has made substantial progress in the last three decades with concentrations of many of the main pollutants falling rapidly, but it remains a major cause of chronic ill health as well as premature mortality. 'Further progress in outdoor air pollution will occur if we decide to make it, but will not happen without practical and achievable changes to heating, transport and industry in particular. Air pollution affects everybody, and is everybody's business.' Exposure to air pollution can shorten people's lives by 1.8 years – which is 'just behind some of the leading causes of death and disease worldwide', including cancer and smoking, the report states. A previous study by the UK Health Security Agency in 2022 estimated that air pollution was responsible for between 29,000 and 43,000 deaths a year in the UK among adults over the age of 30. The RCP estimates that it will be linked to 30,000 preventable deaths this year, down from an estimated 40,000 in 2016. Exposure to air pollution is distributed unevenly in the UK, the report states. While urban areas tend to have higher concentrations of traffic-related pollution, rural locations often experience air pollution linked to specific activities, such as solid fuel or wood burning, agriculture, road transport, or forest and heathland fires. Research commissioned by City Hall in 2023 found that ethnic minorities and the poorest families were most likely to live in areas of London with the most dangerously polluted air. The RCP is urging ministers to 'recognise air pollution as a key public health issue ', with the Asthma and Lung UK charity also among those calling for tougher clean air laws. A new survey from the charity suggests that one in five people with lung conditions have suffered potentially life-threatening asthma attacks and severe flare-ups of illness as a result of air pollution. More than half of 8,000 UK patients with lung conditions said air pollution had left them feeling breathless, according to the survey. 'For the millions living with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), air pollution can be deadly, yet many people are unaware of the toll it has on the nation's health,' said the charity's chief executive Sarah Sleet. 'Toxic air is a major driver of respiratory conditions and can cause lung cancer and trigger asthma attacks, as well as flare ups of lung conditions such as COPD, exacerbating symptoms such as breathlessness, wheezing and coughing. 'Despite the huge personal and financial costs of air pollution, the government has not yet shown the political will to tackle this crisis.' And one expert from Southampton warned that the nation could be walking into a 'microplastics-style crisis'. Dr Thom Daniels, consultant respiratory physician at University Hospital Southampton, said: 'While outdoor air pollution is widely recognised and understood, the dangers of indoor air pollution remain largely overlooked – and I worry we're sleepwalking into another microplastics-style crisis if we don't act now.' Next month, a cross-party group of MPs are expected to reintroduce a bill which aims to make clean air a human right under UK law, and to require ministers to achieve clean air throughout England by 2030. Green MP Sian Berry will present the bill to the Commons on 1 July. Dubbed 'Ella's Law', the proposed legislation is named after Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who lived just metres from the busy South Circular Road in Lewisham and died at the age of nine after suffering a fatal asthma attack in February 2013. She became the first person to have air pollution listed as a cause of death following a landmark inquest in 2020.
Associated Press
13-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Camfil IAQ Specialists Highlight the Need to Rethink Air Filter Procurement in Schools
06/12/2025, Riverdale, NJ // KISS PR Brand Story PressWire // Poor indoor air quality has been shown to negatively impact cognitive function, student performance, attendance, and overall health. Many schools across the country are unintentionally compromising indoor air quality due to outdated procurement policies that prioritize the cheapest filters instead of long-term performance and sustainability. Despite the efforts of administrators to safeguard student and staff well-being, many schools continue to struggle with this issue. Camfil, a global leader in clean air solutions, provides insight into one of the major factors impacting air quality, student health, and operational efficiency in schools in a recently released YouTube video. 'Schools often buy the cheapest filters that meet the minimum MERV requirement,' explains Mark Davidson, Camfil's Manager of Marketing and Technical Materials, 'While that appears to save money upfront, it can backfire, reducing ventilation, raising energy costs, and sometimes collapsing, allowing dirty air to bypass entirely. This forces districts to replace filters more frequently, driving up operational costs and straining maintenance department budgets.' Camfil advocates for a performance-based approach to air filter procurement, emphasizing the benefits of investing in high-performance, long-lasting air filters. These premium filters, though initially more expensive, outperform economy-grade filters and last twice, three times, or four times as long. The results of upgrading air filters for school districts include: Camfil is calling for schools to rethink their air filter procurement strategies, emphasizing that better filters are not just about financial savings but about safeguarding the health and future of students, staff, and the planet. 'Switching to superior air filters isn't just a financial investment; it's an investment in the well-being and potential of the next generation,' says Davidson, 'When schools prioritize long-term performance and lower operating costs over short-term savings, everyone wins.' To learn more about the role of filter procurement in student wellbeing, watch the full video here. About Camfil The Camfil Group is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and has 29 manufacturing sites, six R&D centers, local sales offices in 35+ countries, and 5,700 employees and growing. We proudly serve and support customers in a wide variety of industries and communities across the world. To discover how Camfil USA can help you to protect people, processes, and the environment, visit us at For media inquiries, please contact: Lynne Laake Camfil USA Air Filters Phone: 888-599-6620 Email: [email protected] Source published by Submit Press Release >> Camfil IAQ Specialists Highlight the Need to Rethink Air Filter Procurement in Schools
