Harmful levels of toxins are found by nearly every home
ALMOST all UK homes are surrounded by an “invisible killer” of toxic air, experts warn.
At least 97 per cent of houses in the UK breach at least one World Health Organisation limit for harmful air.
Nearly three in four addresses – 21.5 million – exceed the WHO’s limits of three filthy pollutants, namely PM2.5, PM10 and nitrogen dioxide.
Ella Kissi-Debrah, nine, became the first person with air pollution listed as a cause of death when she died in 2013 after suffering a severe asthma attack caused by airborne toxins.
The family home was near the South Circular road in southeast London.
Professor Sir Stephen Holgate, advisor to the Royal College of Physicians, said: “Air pollution is an invisible killer and because you can’t see it it’s easy for people
to forget. It’s essential that the public are given air pollution data for where they are thinking of buying or renting. In many cases, like that of little Ella, it can be a matter of life or death.”
The culprits affecting air quality include particles released by cars, factories or burning wood.
The Central Office of Public Interest (COPI) and Imperial
College London mapped pollution levels recorded at 20,000 monitoring sites.
Buckingham Palace falls into the 98th national percentile with some of the highest levels in the UK, while Balmoral Castle is in the lowest. Gardens in Kent, Bath, East Anglia and some coastal towns have some of the UK’s worst pollution levels.
Separate figures from the Government showed pollution from nitrogen dioxide in 2021 had risen compared with 2020 when Covid-19 restrictions reduced traffic.
Campaigners said Britain is a “long way away” from having safe levels of pollution.
COPI has called for legislation to ensure estate agents, property websites and surveyors publish toxic air ratings similar to those for other dangers like asbestos. ●●To find out the levels of air pollution near you, visit addresspollution.org