92% of People Living in UK Cities Do Not Breathe Safe Air

Toxic air is killing people across the UK. A recent report published this month suggests that toxic and polluted air is killing people in almost every part of the UK. London, Glasgow, Leeds and Birmingham were rated as some of the most heavily polluted areas in the country.

The study also found that air pollution levels breached global safety limits in 43 of the UK’s largest towns and cities. Furthermore, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised that:

“92% of people living in cities do not breathe safe air.”

This devastating statistic affects individuals, businesses and the NHS. It affects YOU. The study states that these dangerous levels of air pollution result in 40,000 premature deaths a year, over six million sick days and also an estimated total social cost of £22.6 billion per year.

Everyone should have the right to breathe air which is clean and safe.

Whilst plans are in place to tackle outside air pollution levels, this will be a long and gradual process and does not consider indoor air pollution. We spend most of our time indoors either at home, at work, at school or in public buildings such as shops.

There are many sources of indoor air pollution, but the main source is outdoor air pollution. The ventilation and air conditioning equipment used in many commercial properties often brings ‘fresh air’ into the building. However, this outside, polluted air is rarely ‘fresh’. To ensure a clean and healthy indoor environment, outside air must be filtered before it is breathed in.