AIR POLLUTION AT SCHOOL BLAMED ON BUILDING WORKS
BUILDING works around Runcorn town centre have been blamed for high levels of air pollution outside a primary school.
Data released by Halton Borough Council showed that between July 2019 and June 2020, excess levels of “PM2.5” fine particulate matter were measured outside Westfield Primary School on Clayton Crescent on 113 separate days, which is nearly a third of the time covered.
Due to a period when the monitor was producing “erroneous results” between February and May 2020, and a previous part of July 2019 when no results were provided, the proportion of days when PM2.5 levels were above the World Health Organisation (WHO) target daily average level of 25 micrograms per cubic metre (?g/m3), may have been closer to around two fifths of the time.
The highest daily reading was 70.1 ?g/ m3 on November 6, the day after Bonfire Night, and coincided with a large spike in the nitrogen oxide level.
The highest reading not close to November 5 was recorded on January 23 with a reading of 45.0?g/m3.
Levels of nitrogen dioxide, which are associated with combustion sources such as traffic and fire, were low enough to be classed not “a cause for concern”.
Stephen Burrows, Halton Council principal environmental health officer, has theorised that dust generated by the demolition of the “trumpet loop” flyover near Runcorn Station and subsequent construction works could be responsible for the high PM2.5 readings.
Many of the exceedances were only slightly above the 25-microgram target.
The monitoring station outside Westfield Primary School is the only location where PM2.5 levels are monitored since one on Runcorn Hill was decommissioned in 2019.
During its last reporting year, the Runcorn Hill monitoring station measured an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 10 ?g/m3.
Halton’s general air quality data showed a downward trend since 2013 for nitrogen dioxide levels, with only Peelhouse Lane in neighbouring Widnes exceeding the 40?g/m3 target in recent years when it hit 41?g/m3 in 2018 and which has since dropped to 30.9?g/m3.
Public Health England (PHE) has said “poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK” because long-term exposure can cause breathing and circulation illness, as well as lung cancer.
In 2010, the national Environment Audit Committee estimated that health impacts of air pollution was likely to cost more than an initial estimated range of £8bn to £20bn.
According to Public Health England, air pollution causes between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths a year.
The council released the data after a challenge was issued to the Information Commissioner’s Office because the initial set of information released did not include the daily PM2.5 figures and instead provided a general snapshot of air quality and pollution in Halton.
Full annual air quality reports are due to be submitted to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and will be the first since the last Halton air quality review and assessment was compiled in 2018.
In relation to the PM2.5 data for the monitoring station at Westfield Primary School, Mr Burrows said: “On examination of the data some discrepancies with the results for particulates were identified by officers and in light of this the council requested that the contractor review the data.
“As a result of the review the contractor has confirmed that there was a period between February and May 2020 when the particulate monitor was producing erroneous results.
“This data was removed from the final report. In summary the data shows that the levels of nitrogen dioxide were not a cause for concern.
“However, notwithstanding the problems with the particulate analyser, there were occasions when the results for particulates were higher than anticipated.
“Environmental health officers do not believe the particulate levels are associated with a combustion process as if this were the case it would be expected to see higher levels of nitrogen dioxide being evident.
“One possible explanation is that the particulate levels were associated with dust from the demolition and construction works around Runcorn Station and the Silver Jubilee Bridge which coincided with the period of monitoring.
“Due to concerns regarding the reliability of the data it is intended the monitor will run for a further 12 months.
“The school building adjacent to the monitor is currently undergoing essential maintenance work which may affect the operation of the monitor.
“The monitor will therefore not be activated until this work is completed over the school holidays.
“We anticipate restarting the monitor for a 12-month period from September 2021.
“The results will be published once available. There have been no other PM2.5 monitoring stations active in the borough since the monitor on Runcorn Hill was decommissioned in 2019.”