AQN Magazine - Issue 17 - November '22 by Spacehouse

Issue 17

November 2022

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The cost-of-living crisis & air quality Air pollution doesn’t recognise borders

RESTORING REAL HEALTH TO GLOBAL FORESTS

Uniting what’s next in traffic. We are connecting the dots of a new mobility revolution that is transforming our towns and cities.

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Editorial Comment and Contacts

Welcome to Air Quality News magazine Contacts Publisher: David Harrison d.harrison@spacehouse.co.uk 01625 614 000 Editor: Martin Guttridge-Hewitt ej@spacehouse.co.uk 01625 614 000 Business Development Manager: Jason Coward jason@spacehouse.co.uk 07889 212 414 Finance Manager: Jenny Leach jenny@spacehouse.co.uk 01625 614 000 Administration: Susanne Lingham office@spacehouse.co.uk 01625 614 000 Published 6 times a year

published by Spacehouse Ltd, Pierce House, Pierce Street, Macclesfield. SK11 6EX. Tel: 01625 614 000

Welcome to November’s Air Quality News magazine, and for those joining us at Lords in London, many thanks for being part of this year’s National Air Quality Conference - a key event in the environmental science calendar. The timing of our annual gathering is no coincidence. Colder temperatures bring significant spikes in numerous harmful pollutants such as particulate matter and carbon monoxide. In the UK, Bonfire Night adds to this, while the Hindu Festival of Light, Diwali, has a similar effect. Hence this month’s legal feature, written by Varun Srinivasan, from India’s Supreme Court, which asks whether an issue like air pollution warrants allowing the judiciary to direct government policy for the greater good, for example by introducing a fireworks ban. A fundamental no-no in the democratic process, nevertheless New Delhi has taken such steps. Elsewhere, Charlie Jaay takes us into the woods, outlining the devastating impact of illthought and profit-driven tree planting. Often billed as part of the climate answer, some of the planet’s most powerful lungs are in rapid decline because vital indigenous flora is being devastated by human-led monoculture projects that see problematic species introduced to highly vulnerable ecosystems at a time when biodiversity is supposed to be sacrosanct. With stories like that, it’s no wonder climate anxiety is rife. For this issue’s Special Report we return to health, with Georgie Hughes addressing the psychological impact of a world in which even breathing has become a medical problem. Then Jamie Hailstone considers new research revealing troubling correlations between neurological and cognitive health in adults, specifically Alzheimer’s and dementia, and air pollution exposure. Meanwhile, a third feature looks at a danger only just making itself known: what e-cigarettes mean for air quality, and your body. Elsewhere, Defra’s newly appointed Air Quality Minister, Trudy Harrison, explains what a new trans-boundary air pollution task force aims to achieve by working across borders towards multilateral solutions. And our latest Big Interview sees Imperial College’s Dr. Ian Medway voice his support for the medical community’s involvement in direct environmental action such as protest in order to effectively engage with the public. All pressing matters, it’s no wonder this issue weighs heavy as smog.

Printed on FSC certified paper stock, using vegetable oil inks. Fulfilment and distribution using 100% recycled envelopes.

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Contents

Features Contents News: Pages 6-8 Pages 6-8 News: Adolescents more fatigued and distressed with NO2, CO pollution

Pages 28-30 Special Report: The e-cigarette debate: how they affect air quality and young people

Pages 10-13 Feature: A dying culture: How to restore real health to global forests Pages 16-18 Feature: The cost of living crisis and its impact on air quality Pages 19 Advertorial: Why a Well-Ventilated Workplace is a Well-Functioning Workplace

Pages 10-13 Feature: A dying culture: How to restore real health to global forests

Pages 32-33 The Big Interview: Dr Ian Mudway, senior lecturer at Imperial College School of Public Health and member of the MRC Centre for Environment and Health

Pages 22-23 Special Report: Isn’t it time we talked about how air pollution affects the mind, as well as the lungs? Pages 24-25 Special Report: Climate anxiety may not be anxiety at all Pages 28-30 Special Report: The e-cigarette debate: how they affect air quality and young people

Pages 16-18 Feature: The cost-of-living crisis and its impact on air quality

Pages 34-35 Legal: India’s Lawmakers Cannot Breathe

Pages 31 Advertorial: Improving parking in the community - Lewisham School Streets: Lewisham Council and Videalert Pages 32-33 The Big Interview: Dr Ian Mudway, senior lecturer at Imperial College School of Public Health and member of the MRC Centre for Environment and Health Pages 34-35 Legal: India’s Lawmakers Cannot Breathe

Pages 22-23 Special Report: Isn’t it time we talked about how air pollution affects the mind, as well as the lungs?

Pages 36-37 Local Government: Air pollution doesn’t recognise borders. Nor should policy

Thanks to our contributors: Charlie Jaay, Stephen Cirell, Jamie Hailstone, Varun Srinivisan, Trudy Harrison Pages 24-25 Special Report: Climate anxiety may not be anxiety at all

Partners

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News

in brief

Campaigners issue Rishi Sunak clear air pollution demands Following Rishi Sunak’s appointment as the UK’s new prime minister, green campaigners are calling for measures to tackle the climate crisis and, in turn, Britain’s persistent air pollution problem. Friends of the Earth (FOE) is demanding further investment in renewable energy, the rejection of any fossil fuel developments including fracking and North Sea oil and gas projects - and lifting the ban on offshore wind power. ‘If Rishi Sunak plans to outlast his predecessor, he must learn from her mistakes, abandon runaway deregulation and the attack on nature and choose the sensible solutions to the cost of living and climate crises,’ said FOE campaigner Kierra Box. Air pollution cannot be successfully addressed as a separate issue from the climate crisis. All proposals laid out would directly impact on ambient pollution, for example by reducing toxic gas and particulate matter emissions associated with fossil fuel sourcing and refining. Waste CO2 could be used to boost rooftop gardens New research is exploring how waste CO2 from building exhausts could be used to boost rooftop gardens, as plants are often less healthy due to increased sun and wind exposure and less soil moisture. A team led by the University of Cambridge experimented to see if re-purposed waste CO2 could improve their health, as rooftop gardens can improve air quality and insulate buildings. Spinach and corn were grown on the roof of a campus building at Boston University, with some placed next to exhaust vents and control plants placed in front of large fans. The spinach grown next to the exhaust vents had four times more biomass than the controls, while the corn also grew two to three times larger. ‘We are hoping this could lead to the further development of this system and eventual implementation in rooftop gardens and farms,’ said Dr Sarabeth Buckley from Cambridge’s Department of Plant

Adolescents more fatigued and distressed with NO2, CO pollution Older children and teenagers are suffering adverse effects from carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, according to a new study

esearch from the US has identified a link between fatigue and distress among adolescents, and spikes in carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The study looked at how people aged between 10 and 19 years felt the day after low air quality periods. The work involved linking objective air pollution measurements to self reports from participants. 422 Mexican-American adolescents in Los Angeles County, California were involved in the study withinsubject analysis of 9,696 observations conducted to reveal that respondents complained of increased fatigue levels and emotional distress following periods where NO2 and CO were at higher levels than normal. First published in the journal, Nature, NO2 was shown to be

the most significant contributor to fatigue. In contrast, although there was heightened emotional distress recorded following CO spikes without NO2, fatigue did not appear to be an issue in those instances. Earlier this year, Air Quality News reported on an investigation by the US Health Effects Institute which revealed the world’s worst cities for NO2

pollution. However, the work was impeded by a widespread lack of air pollution measuring infrastructure capable of giving readings of the gas. In other related news, over the past five years NO2 levels in London have declined five times faster than the national UK average, with the city’s central Ultra Low Emission Zone believed to be a major contributor to the drop.

Black carbon air pollution particles found in unborn babies Traces of toxic materials linked to pollutants discovered in lungs, livers and brains of foetuses that have yet to take their first breath

‘groundbreaking’ discovery with ‘very worrying’ implications has been made by a team of researchers at the University of Aberdeen, UK, and Hasselt University, Belgium, after examining the impact of dirty air on unborn children. Thousands of black carbon particles have been discovered in body tissue, impacting a number of vital organs.

The particulate matter has been breathed in by mothers during gestation periods, and then absorbed by the foetuses as they continue to develop. It has already been understood that air pollution molecules are absorbed into the placenta in this way, but this is the first-time evidence has shown the consequences. Research involved nonsmoking mothers living in

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areas of Scotland and Belgium that record low levels of air pollution, suggesting a similar study looking at those living in notorious pollution hotspots could propose higher readings for particles. Professor Tim Nawrot, of Hasselt University, said: ‘We know that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and infancy has been linked with still birth, preterm birth, low weight babies and disturbed brain development, with consequences persisting throughout life. ‘We show in this study the number of black carbon particles that get into the mother are passed on proportionally to the placenta and into the baby. This means air quality regulation should recognise this transfer during gestation and act to protect the most susceptible

News

Charity urges councils to prioritise profitsharing models for e-scooter trials The cost-of-living crisis has made raising capital ‘significantly harder’ Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK) has said

oMoUK is urging local authorities to avoid seeking large financial contributions from operators or risk threatening the viability of their schemes. The national shared transport charity has written to councils across the UK to encourage them to build profit-sharing models. In the letter, Richard Dilks, Chief Executive of CoMoUK, wrote: ‘We urge authorities to exercise caution in seeking

financial contributions from operators, both as a matter of good public procurement practice and to avoid threatening the viability of schemes and operators. ‘Additional financial contributions are also sometimes being sought from operators. These are highly unlikely to be sustainable. They also raise troubling questions of procurement practice. Any criteria against which tender bids

are judged should be objective and communicated.’ This comes as the UK government is considering creating a new light vehicle class to legalise e-scooters on public roads. Mr Dilks has warned e-scooter trials have not received any public subsidy and the rollout of e-scooters as a sustainable alternative travel method could be stalled without reasonable procurement processes. CoMoUK believes legalising e-scooters would ensure they meet high safety standards and would help to cut emissions, ease congestion and repurpose streets away from cars. Mr Dilks continues: ‘We share with authorities their ambition to see any reprocurements done on a fair basis that will be sustainable through to May 2024 and beyond as part of growth and stability in what is still a nascent sector in the UK’.

Exclusive: Date for next year’s Clean Air Day announced The date for next year’s Clean Air Day (CAD) has been announced by coordinator Global Action Plan (GAP) and will take place on June 15, 2023

AP has also released a Clean Air Day 2022 Celebration Report to highlight key findings from the event. Results show there were over 300 events, 985 media mentions of CAD, #CleanAirDay trended at #1 on Twitter and over 300 organisations consider themselves supporters. Larissa Lockwood, Director of Clean Air said: ‘We are hugely appreciative to everyone who took part in Clean Air Day 2022 across the UK. Together, we have helped to improve public understanding about air pollution, something that is essential if we want to see clean air policy measures, such as Ella’s Law and Clean Air Zones come through.’ Ella’s Law, named after nineyear old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah who died due to air pollution, is

making its way through parliament and could soon enshrine the right to clean air. This year’s theme focused on whole-body health harms which air pollution causes or exacerbates in everyone. In line with this, the three main priorities this CAD were to talk to someone about health harms of air pollution, to walk short distance

trips instead of driving and to ask local and national authorities to make walking easier. In accordance with this Talk-Walk-Ask format, the report found: people who knew about the campaign increased their conversations about air pollution by 24% and supporters of CAD increased the journeys they chose to walk by 37%.

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in brief

Sir Chris Whitty joins Active Travel England’s advisory panel England’s Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty has joined Active Travel England’s (ATE) advisory panel, alongside other senior figures. The government’s cycling, walking and wheeling body was formed this January to improve standards for active travel infrastructure, manage budgets and award funding to new projects. Other figures joining the panel include West Midlands’ Mayor, Andy Street, Chair of the Office of Rail and Road, Declan Collier, and design firm Arup’s Global Transport Leader, Isabel Dedring. Sir Chris Whitty saw the country through the pandemic and acts as the UK government’s chief medical adviser. The Chief Medical Officer’s of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland also publish guidelines for exercise to improve health. He said: ‘Exercise improves health and Active Travel England’s mission is shared by the health service. We all want to see more people incorporating active travel into their day as a way to keep mentally and physically fit.’ Oil and gas flaring releases significantly more methane than believed Oil and gas flaring is releasing up to five time more methane into the atmosphere than first thought, according to a new study by the University of Michigan. Data has revealed the industry overestimated the effectiveness of the process, which is used to limit natural gas venting, while underestimating its contribution to overall methane emissions. Flares lit to burn off methane go unlit between 3 and 5% of the time and often run at low efficiency when operational, according to the study. But improving these flaring issues could be a huge emissions saving, equivalent to removing three million cars from the world’s roads. ‘This study adds to the growing body of research that tells us the oil and gas industry has a flaring problem,’ said Jon Goldstein, EDF’s Senior Director of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, as he called for the end of routine flaring. 7

News

in brief

Ozone pollution is damaging plant health, obstructing pollinators Rising ozone pollution is having a detrimental impact on the natural world, damaging flora and making it harder for insects to find flowers. Research has found a strong link between rising ozone levels, damage to plant foliage and a change to flowering patterns. The latter makes it much more difficult for pollinators to locate blooms. While naturally occurring ozone in the atmosphere protects the Earth from the sun’s radiation, it acts as a harmful pollutant when formed closer to the planet’s surface. ‘There is much noise about the direct effects of agrochemicals on pollinators, a subject of profound societal attention, but it now emerges that ozone is a silent threat to pollinators and thus pollination,’ said Evgenios Agathokleous from Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology. ‘These impacts of ozone have long been missed.’ Research shows ozone is also responsible for the majority of Antarctic sea warming since 1950. Global transboundary air pollution Task Force meets for first time Air quality experts from across the world gathered in Bristol recently to discuss the need for collaborative approaches to improve air quality. Jointly organised by the group’s co-chair, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, the event is the first time the Task Force for the Forum for International Cooperation on Air Pollution has met. The collective of experts acted as a steering committee to plan programming for the inaugural global Forum event in Sweden next year. The group is overseen by the UNECE Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution, which was established in 1970 to tackle poor air quality and its impact on environment and public health. ‘If we are to continue achieving the emissions reductions we know are needed to protect our people’s health, our economies and our environments, we must find new and innovative solutions on a global scale,’ said UK Air Quality Minister, Trudy Harrison.

A new study by America’s iconic space agency has revealed measures introduced in 2020 significantly impacted emissions Rules put in place to limit the amount of sulphur in ship fuel have proven effective in reducing so-called ‘track clouds’, according to research based on satellite imagery

ASA studied the visible emission trails left by ships as they circumnavigate the globe, which are effectively long streams of air pollution, and found that across the planet’s busiest routes there were significantly less of these tell-tale signs of oceanfaring than the previous year. While some of this does come down to pandemic-related circumstances, with notably less traffic on waters, particularly in terms of cruise ships and passenger ferries, this does not account for the extent of the reduction. As such it is believed the regulations on sulphur in fuel, introduced around the same time, has been responsible for a marked decline in track clouds.

‘Without this kind of complete and large-scale sampling of ship tracks, we cannot begin to completely understand this problem,’ said lead author Tianle Yuan, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Overall, since the International

Maritime Organisation introduced the new limits, sulphur content in ship fuel has plummeted by 86%, with no more than 0.5% of fuel allowed to comprise the heavily polluting element. In comparison, ship traffic only fell by around 1.4% for a few months as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic – not enough to explain the overall decline.

Wood burning is not a renewable energy source, campaigners say Wood burning shouldn’t be classed as a renewable energy source, according to the members of a new campaign which is calling on European Union member states to change how they classify the fuel

he demands are open letter penned and signed by the KLUG Clean Air Working Group and health organisations HEAL, EPHA, DGHP, and KlimaDocs. The document has been produced in response to the unveiling of new revisions to RED III, the bloc’s vision for increasing renewable energy capacity. ‘Promoting wood as a ‘renewable’ energy source is a misguided approach to climate change. Analyses have shown that burning wood produces more CO2 than burning coal, oil or gas. This is true for combustion in power plants, heating systems, and small wood burners in households,’ the letter reads. ‘In addition, forests are destroyed as natural CO2 sinks and may even become CO2 sources because of deforestation

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and other disturbances. ‘Furthermore, wood combustion is a major source of particulate matter emissions and fuels air pollution. In Europe, around 400,000 people die prematurely each year from air pollution,’ it continues. ‘Particulate matter is absorbed into the bloodstream through the lungs, reaching all organs, which can lead to many diseases, including cancer.’ The letter highlights wood pellet stoves can cause more particulate matter than oil and gas. The campaign has launched just weeks after a BBC Panorama investigation into Drax, operator of the UK’s largest power plant, which highlighted sourcing wood pellets from primary forests in Canada to power the facility in Yorkshire.

Feature

A dying culture: How to restore real health to global forests Charlie Jaay explores a terrifying crisis within a crisis - misplaced and misleading tree-planting initiatives which, rather than mitigating the climate emergency, compound it, threatening communities and ecosystems

ach year, 10 million hectares of natural forest are lost worldwide, while fast growing industrial monoculture plantations of uniform species rapidly expand. This is happening not only because of increased demands for products such as timber, pulp and paper, but also under the pretext of climate change mitigation as nations around the globe pledge to rebuild and increase forest cover by planting millions of trees. These plantations often provide raw materials for ‘biofuels’ and, although regular harvesting and clearing releases stored carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, it’s claimed they also act as powerful carbon sinks, and so are regularly included in offsetting plans for industrial carbon emissions. Many sites are in countries of the developing south, where low production costs, cheap land and labour, government incentives, and much lower standards in legislation for environmental protection have ensured abundant and cheap supplies of raw material. Usually made up of non-native species such as eucalyptus, pine and acacia, the aim is maximum profit from minimum labour. A number of global goals aim to ‘restore degraded and deforested land’. The Bonn Challenge, launched in 2011 by the German government and International Union for Conservation of Nature, aims to ‘restore’ 350 million

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hectares of ‘forest’ across the tropics and subtropics by 2030. Over 40 countries are involved, including Brazil and China. Closer research has revealed half the pledged area has been earmarked for monoculture plantations. Such schemes have devastating environmental and social impacts. While natural forests represent some of the richest biological areas on earth and provide a vast range of products and services which are of immense importance to human survival and life on earth and offer vital defence against climate change and biodiversity loss. The same cannot be said of industrial plantations. Professor Adrian Newton, Director of Conservation Ecology at Bournemouth University, co-chair of the IUCN/ SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (GTSG), and author of several books, including Ecosystem Collapse and Recovery, believes the establishment of these plantations often constitutes a form of ecosystem collapse. ‘If a natural forest is converted to a plantation, entire ecological communities will be destroyed, species diversity will be massively reduced, and ecological processes will be irrevocably altered’, he says. These plantations affect soil structure and deplete organic matter and nutrient levels, essential bacteria and microorganisms. The result is reduced soil fertility, leading to large quantities of artificial fertilisers being used in

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addition to herbicides and insecticides to fight the increased risk of disease and insect attacks. The chemicals impact far beyond the plantation itself, contaminating soil, waterways and atmosphere and affecting people, plants and wildlife. Overuse results in resistance, so measures continually increase, as does the environmental impact. Also requiring vast amounts of water, the threat to fragile forest ecosystems is compounded by increased risk of extensive wildfires as the dense timber is highly flammable. According to Dr. Simon Smart, Senior Research Scientist and Botanist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, several factors limit the biodiversity found in monoculture tree plantations, compared with mixed aged broadleaved forests. ‘The very unnatural density at which single-aged cohorts are planted mean that very few plant species are specialised to grow under the unusually low light levels beneath forest monocultures’, he explains. ‘This severe light limitation to the under-storey is a year-round phenomenon, as most fastgrowing planted tree species keep their leaves all year round. ‘The number of plant species able to survive here are also limited, such as conifers and eucalyptus, which increase soil acidity,’ Smart continues. ‘In terms of animal and bird species, a limited number can grow on, in, or otherwise use monocultures. Since many planted species are also not native to the country in which they are planted this can also reduce the extent to which the forest can support other life’, he explains. In the face of rapidly increasing deforestation, the timber industry, governments and international organisations such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), regularly describe these monocultures as ‘forests’, which has been used to legitimise the expansion of industrial plantations, often at the expense of threatened native forest ecosystems. Under FAO’s definition, replacing native forest with tree

plantations is not recorded as deforestation, which enables countries to obscure the loss of native forests when they report their forest cover data to the FAO. China is one of these states.

Between 2000 and 2015, after the country’s major forest protection and reforestation policies came into effect, the region's gross tree cover grew by over 30%. But research has found this increase was entirely due to the conversion of croplands to tree plantations, especially monocultures, while native forests suffered a net loss of almost seven percent. China claims to have carried out more than 3.5 million hectares of afforestation in 2021, yet we do not know how

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much native forest has been lost in the process. ‘Industrial tree plantations are not forests', indicates Klaus Schenck, of German NGO Rainforest Rescue. ‘These monocultures are green deserts which destroy biodiversity, soils, water supplies and the livelihoods of the people.’ During the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile, vast expanses of natural forest belonging to the country’s Indigenous Mapuche communities were converted into industrial plantations for the pulp and paper industry. These were heavily subsidised by the state until 2012 under the pretext of promoting regional development. Timber plantations expanded by a factor of ten between 1975 and 2007, replacing natural forests by a third in some areas, and now occupy almost half the southern-central Chilean landscape. Two companies, Forestal Mininco SpA and Forestal Arauco S.A., account for almost two million hectares of industrial tree plantations in the country combined. These consume vast amounts of water, with each eucalyptus requiring around 30 litres every day, and pine slightly less. In conjunction with higher temperatures caused by climate change, these plantations are causing drought, and also extensive wildfires due to their dense flammable timber. This threatens the remaining natural forests and their ecosystems, as well as the global climate. Reynaldo Mariqueo, General Secretary of Mapuche International Link, says: ‘The deforestation of native trees for extensive pine and eucalyptus plantations dried up the

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underground water tables and streams. It created erosion and drought, devastating the ecosystems and biodiversity of the region, including the medicinal plants.’ ‘The abandonment, defencelessness and lack of justice has pushed many communities to develop peaceful protests of direct action, aimed at boycotting the forestry business and recovering the lands of their grandparents or greatgrandparents’, he continues. ‘The adverse environmental effects not only impact the Mapuche communities, but also non-Mapuche small farmers, and others, and have caused the protest to spread and intensify. This has led the current government, like the previous ones, to declare a state of emergency, and militarise a large part of the Mapuche ancestral territory.' Elsewhere, monoculture tree plantations are expanding in Africa, helped by the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) and other global programmes, which contribute to the Bonn Challenge. Launched in 2015, by the World Bank, FAO, the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and other agencies, during the Paris Climate Agreement AFR100 claimed it would ‘restore’ 100 million hectares of deforested and degraded land in Africa by 2030. Industrial monocultures will play a big part in the project. However, most land classified as ‘deforested and degraded’, and used to establish monoculture plantations by plantation companies is either community land used for food

production, or native vegetation. The result is that native vegetation such as forests or ancient savannah landscapes, including Tanzania’s Serengeti and South Africa's Kruger National Park, are mapped as deforested and degraded, because tree cover is reduced by elephants, antelope, and several million years of grass-fuelled fires. Some national governments have also launched tree-planting initiatives, as in Mozambique, where the government plans to plant one million hectares of trees by 2035 through its Forest Agenda 2035. There are currently around 70,000 hectares of monoculture plantations in the country, mostly eucalyptus and pine. The timber is mainly exported, and the majority is used for electricity poles, paper and pulp. ‘These industrial tree plantations come with a false narrative — that they are for reforestation, to restore ‘degraded’ land, and a solution to the climate crisis. But these are lies. In reality, these monocultures are increasing poverty, and destroying native species and productive ecosystems’, says Anabela Lemos, Director of Mozambiquebased social justice organisation, Justica Ambiental. ‘Fossil fuel companies, such as ENI, Shell and Total, are a growing problem here. They use carbon credits or REDD to offset their emissions and finance plantations, grabbing huge amounts of land to ‘reforest’ with exotic trees, which will later be cut down to make money- just so they can carry on as usual’, Lemos explains. ‘At the same time, here in Mozambique, these companies are exploring for gas, increasing emissions, destroying sensitive natural ecosystems and taking the territories and livelihoods of rural communities.’ According to Lemos, the two biggest plantation companies operating in Mozambique, Portucel and Green Resources, both cleared natural vegetation to establish their plantations, resulting in numerous conflicts with affected communities, who complain of many false promises. They have lost fertile land, access to natural resources, including water points and, for many, their only revenue stream: the land itself. Although oil palm is not defined by the FAO as forest cover, the expansion of monoculture oil palm plantations, in addition to those species used for timber, wood pulp and paper, is driving major deforestation in some of the world’s largest rainforests across Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. Claire Oxborrow of Friends of the Earth says: ‘These industrial monocultures are controlled by powerful corporations, and threaten precious wildlife like orangutans and sun bears. It's also fueling the climate crisis as fires, often started deliberately to clear forest, can spread and lead to devastation as in 2015, when Indonesia’s carbon emissions tripled. ‘The UK plays a key role in driving this destruction, importing over a million tonnes of palm oil a year to manufacture products like chocolate, margarine and soap. Most of this comes from Southeast Asia,’ she adds. With the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, it is more important than ever our natural forests and local communities are protected. For this to happen, stronger laws to protect forests and communities, the pursuit of sustainable agricultural systems, and the facilitation of native forest restoration is vital. As is forcing countries like the UK to introduce legislation that requires companies to prevent human rights abuses and environmental harm within their operations and supply chains.

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Feature

The cost-of-living crisis and it’s impact on air quality By Stephen Cirell

he political turbulence of the past few weeks is likely to have implications for some time to come. In the space of only a month or so, the economic outlook has deteriorated considerably, and the UK is now set to enter yet another recessionary period. The issues have not all been created by political incompetence, though. The side show of the revolving doors at No 10 Downing Street masks wider changes that are starting to negatively affect the economy. Obviously, the war in Ukraine is

high on this list. Vladimir Putin’s aggression has had a fundamental impact on Western Europe. The most obvious example of that is the gas supply crisis, with many European countries being particularly dependent on supplies of Russian gas and oil. Putin has recognised that energy can be used as a weapon and turned off supplies to pile pressure on Europe to turn a blind eye to his illegal occupation of a neighbouring and independent state. But it is not just whether supplies from Russia are disrupted; it is

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also about the escalating wholesale prices of gas that have resulted from this. The gas price has an important link to the cost of electricity, as a significant amount of the UK’s electricity is generated via Combined Cycle Gas Turbines. Even though the UK does not receive Russian gas in any event, the world gas prices have increased alarmingly. This and other issues have pushed up inflation to its highest point in 40 years. Food and energy prices are a major part of the inflationary pressures. While these pressures have been

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rising, the government has been consumed with its own problems. On the one side, government action has been positive – such as the introduction of the Energy Price Guarantee for consumers to ensure that they do not have to pay wildly escalating prices for their electricity and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme to help keep energy costs for businesses to realistic levels. On the other hand, the government can be seen in a wholly negative light, due to the circus of its leadership issues. Boris Johnson was shown to have flouted Covid-19 lockdown rules and there is an extant Parliamentary inquiry by MPs seeking to determine whether he deliberately lied to Parliament about this. Eventually, he was forced to resign as Prime Minister and a leadership contest commenced. What happened next will certainly go down in history: a drawn out and lengthy process saw Liz Truss elected

as leader of the Conservative Party and therefore the new Prime Minister, but she only lasted 44 days in the job. During that time, she sought to introduce a radical right wing programme of economics that did not find favour with the markets. The (then) Chancellor’s notorious mini budget with over £40 bn of unfunded tax cuts spooked the markets with devastating results. Firstly, the cost of government borrowing rocketed and as the UK has a large indebtedness, this had an immediate impact on the public finances. However, what Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwateng had not anticipated was that this had a knockon effect in the gilts and mortgage markets, which caused the costs of mortgages to rise sharply. It was

£30bn. Despite Liz Truss saying in Parliament that she would not cut public expenditure, this quickly came back into the picture. Against a backcloth of a number of high profile public sector strikes over pay, public sector workers will pale at the prospect of a further period of austerity and cuts to local authority budgets. If such a period of austerity is to follow, then this will inevitably impact on the personnel resources of local authorities. It is unlikely that those engaged in air quality will be able to avoid this scrutiny. This is a direct way in which air quality can be affected and the fight to combat pollution undermined. This would be a shame as momentum has increased over past years and the messages

quickly recognised that in an average household that is also a homeowner, the benefit of the Energy Price Guarantee would be wiped out by steeply rising mortgage payments. In the political carnage that followed, Jeremy Hunt was appointed Chancellor and reversed most of the proposals set forth by Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwateng. However, even after the embarrassing reversals of the proposals, it became clear that the new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would inherit a black hole in the accounts, to the tune of around

about air quality have started to resonate much more strongly with the public. There are many other indirect ways that a negative impact might also result. It is foreseeable that householders with log burners who are short of income are likely to be burning wood and coal for heat. Strenuous efforts have been made over past years to try and expose the dangers from wood burners, which have often been fitted largely for aesthetic reasons. Now it may well be that people try and save money

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Feature

but not just by burning wood, but burning waste wood which is of the worse type for smoke and pollutants. This may set back this work a number of years, depending on how long the current crisis lasts. It is also likely that increased mortgage payments in the short term will slow the funds from householders to undertake energy efficiency works. The government’s target is for no gas boilers to be fitted to new housing past 2025 but the progress so far on air source heat pumps has been lamentably slow. Poor energy efficiency also means more heating being required this winter which can only exacerbate the problems. Transport is another area likely to be affected. The price of goods is rising as component costs also rise. In the EV world, Tesla is not alone in having recently increased the prices of its electric vehicles, making a purchase of a new ‘no emission’ vehicle even more of a stretch. Again, government targets aim for no new internal combustion engine cars to be sold after 2030, but this can only be achieved if the supply chain is in

place and that will only develop if there are healthy sales of the vehicles over the next few years. Also on transport, partly due to local authority funding problems, bus services are shrinking and prices are rising on those services that remain. There are local stories regularly about routes being cut and numbers of services reduced. For those that can, this might mean more car travel via lifts or taxis, which means going in the wrong direction for emissions reductions. Most local authority plans include increasing active travel via walking and cycling. But there is less of this activity over the winter period and this is just about upon us in the UK. This means that less active travel, more car use and inappropriate home heating methods all combine to worsen the problem of air quality. It is still remarkable that the UK is a first world country where numerous parts of its territory do not comply with the legal limits of air pollution. Air Quality News has commented many times on international and national limits on air quality. Under government legislation, the limit of

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nitrogen dioxide (NO2) (which is a pollutant that is formed through the burning of fossil fuels) is currently 40 micrograms per cubic metre. The World Health Organisation has suggested the maximum limited which was set at 20 micrograms for some time but has recently been reduced by half to just 10 microgrames per m3, as the evidence of harm from this pollutant gets stronger. Similarly in particulate matter where the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 impose an annual limit of 20 micrograms per m3 of PM 2.5, whereas World Health Organisation guidelines suggest a level not exceeding 5 micrograms per m3. The government has yet to revise its own limits to bring them in line with refreshed World Health Organisation limits. It seems that the effects of the energy crisis and the political turmoil that has shrouded this autumn will be felt keenly not just during this oncoming winter but well beyond. The outlook for ongoing improvements in air quality seems similarly bleak.

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AIR QUALITY & HEALTH An Air Quality News Special Report

• Impact of pollution on cognitive function • Vaping & air quality • The emotional effect of climate change

Special Report

Isn’t it time we talked about how air pollution affects the mind, as well as the lungs? Jamie Hailstone investigates the growing research that shows how toxic air can affect our cognitive functions

hen people talk about the health impacts of air pollution, the conversation usually turns to the respiratory system. The public-at-large are well aware of this link. For example, a survey carried out earlier this year for the charity Global Action Plan found nearly half (49%) of people think air pollution is connected to worsening of asthma symptoms and 46% to development of asthma. But the same survey also found that only 12% of British people associate it with strokes, 10% with dementia, and 18% poor brain development. Given there is a growing amount of scientific research around cognitive function, isn’t it time we talked about how air pollution affects the mind, as well as the lungs? Dr. Meiling Gao, chief operating officer at Clarity Movement Co, says while the impact of air pollution on the lungs and the respiratory system is better studied and understood, the issue of how air pollution impacts cognitive function is a ‘growing area of research’. She added cognitive function can range from short-term effects, like feeling sleepy in a stuffy room, to longerterm issues, which could include chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s. ‘Cognitive function is something that affects people differently at various stages of their lives as well,’ adds Dr. Gao. ‘When we think about all the brain processes that we use to get through the day, from getting up and brushing our teeth to making decisions around risk, these functions can be very broad.’ A study last year by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the United States found that indoor air quality in an office can have significant impacts on worker’s cognitive functions, including their ability to focus. ‘The study also confirmed how low ventilation rates negatively impact cognitive function,’ says lead author, Jose Guillermo Cedeno Laurent. ‘Overall, the study suggests that poor indoor air quality affects health and productivity significantly more than we previously understood.’ But in terms of long-term effects, Dr. Gao says there is a growing body of research around how PM2.5 particles can

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enter the bloodstream through the lungs, and through a ‘very thin barrier’ between the nose and the brain, and research has shown that particles can end up entering the brain through that passage. And last month (October), scientists at the University of Aberdeen, UK, and Hasselt University, Belgium, published a study which showed how air pollution nanoparticles - called black carbon or soot particles – have been found in the lungs and brains of unborn babies as early as their first trimester. In July, the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) reviewed a large number of studies and concluded that it is likely that air pollution contributes to a decline in mental ability and dementia in older people. It highlighted a ‘strong case’ for air pollution having a secondary effect on the brain, increasing the risk of

Special Report

cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease. The COMEAP report also detailed a potential direct mechanism, with small particles -including PM2.5 from vehicle exhausts - entering into the bloodstream and crossing through into the brain. Researchers from Western University in Canada recently carried out a review of existing evidence of a link between dementia and air pollution. They found a link between exposure to a type of pollution – particulate matter – and the development of dementia. According to the study, a person’s dementia risk increases by 3% for every one microgram per cubic meter of fine particulate matter they were exposed to. The researchers reviewed information collected in 17 existing studies, involving 91 million people, with 5.5 million people developing dementia. They compared rates of air pollution exposure for people both with and without dementia. The scientists found that people who did not develop dementia had a lower average daily exposure to fine particulate matter air pollutants than people who did have dementia. ‘Poor air quality is a significant public health issue, and there is a clear relationship between certain types of air pollution and dementia risk,’ says Dr. Sara Imarisio, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, ‘What remains to be uncovered is the “how” - there are several biological explanations that could be behind the link between air pollution and dementia, and more research is needed to understand this.’ Dr. Imarisio adds the UK government needs to do more to address this issue and that its proposed air quality targets ‘lack the ambition to reduce particulate matter

pollution as quickly as possible’. ‘As individuals, we can all take steps to help protect our brains – including regularly challenging them, looking after our hearts and keeping connected to the people around us. But there is less we can do about the air we breathe. Only government-led interventions can effectively reduce air pollution at scale,’ she added. Interestingly, the Canadian researchers also looked at nitrogen oxides, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone exposure, but did not find significantly increased risk when these other classes of pollutants were considered alone. ‘There's a lot more research out now about how we can control some of these risk factors for Alzheimer's,’ says Dr. Gao. ‘Some factors, like age and genetics, are out of our control, but air pollution is one of those that we can actually modify, and which would have significant health impacts.’ She adds the growing body of research around the larger impacts of air pollution, and data generated by air quality sensors, should help decision makers in public health understand where there would be ‘significant’ health benefits if they tackle sources of air pollution quickly. ‘There are several pathways that air pollutants can reach your lungs and other organs,’ she added. ‘We need to think about this holistically. Often, we just look at one pollutant at a time or just one organ at a time, but we also need to consider the cumulative impacts on our health via different systems.’ No doubt there will be more research to come around how air pollution affects our cognitive ability. But what is becoming increasingly clear is that pollution impacts every part of the human body, and we need to see this as a public health crisis, as well as an environmental one.

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Special Report

Climate anxiety may not be anxiety at all Georgie Hughes dives into climate anxiety, examining whether it can be considered a mental health condition at all and how minority communities can be included in the conversation

s the UK suffered severe heatwaves throughout the summer, it has been plain to see the climate crisis is here now and is set to get worse. Eighty-six percent of Brits said they were worried or very worried about the impacts the crisis could have according to an Office of National Statistics (ONS) survey released this September. Concerns about the climate emergency have been named ‘climate anxiety’, as people find they experience a whole range of emotions as they witness the crisis unfold. A lot of the discussion surrounding air pollution, naturally, is how it impacts our physical health. This is a global public health issue which accounts for millions of deaths worldwide each year, this conversation is crucial. Yet, what is not always considered is how air pollution affects our mental health. Our mental

wellbeing is just as important as our physical health but can often be neglected. With air pollution intrinsically linked to the environment and the health of our planet, it is impossible to ignore the impact the climate crisis is having on us all. Judith Anderson, Chair of the Climate Psychology Alliance, which offers support to those struggling with these emotions, says the term ecodistress is a more accurate term: ‘The difficult thing about the term “climate anxiety” is it's not specific. It is not just anxiety, it’s a kind of heading for a whole load of different feelings. We find many people who understand the facts about climate change go through a spectrum of feelings, as you might with bereavement. One of my colleagues, Caroline Hickman, has a lovely phrase for it, she talks about the biodiversity of emotions.’ We are all aware of the physical

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aspects and health consequences of the climate crisis, as health professional organisation Medact calls for rapid decarbonisation to protect global health. But what is not always considered is how the crisis affects the mental well-being too, as there are increased psychiatric admissions during periods of high temperatures. ‘This is important because people forget this part, particularly psychotherapists, as they think about the emotional impact of climate change,’ Anderson explains. ‘But actually, there is this physical aspect, which is very well researched.’ Many are experiencing first-hand the physical manifestations of the climate emergency right now, such as Pakistan which is facing the worst flooding in its history. Being on the front lines of a disaster like this can lead to severe mental distress, says Ms Anderson, with those who experience these events frequently suffering the

Special Report

most. Communities are also disrupted, and many are forced to migrate which can be a traumatic experience, as people leave everything they know behind. However, for those who aren’t currently experiencing the acute effects of the climate crisis, many live in apprehension of the extreme weather and disaster to come. They may feel grief stricken, seeing the suffering of other people, or seeing what's happening to habitats. We work with young people who ask, “has my future been stolen from me?”’ Eco-distress can take a huge toll on mental health, with 45% of 16–25-yearolds across ten countries, including the UK, saying their feelings about the climate crisis negatively impacts their daily life. Yet, that does not mean it is classed as a psychological condition or mental illness. The Royal College of Psychiatrists

says: ‘Feeling distressed or anxious about our world is normal and shows we care about our planet. There are a lot of legitimate reasons to be concerned about the environment and the planet. But sometimes these feelings can be overwhelming and hard to deal with and you may need professional help.’ Despite this, Anderson says there is still difficulty in finding appropriate treatment, as psychotherapists can resort to treating it like a mental health condition: ‘Eco-distress does not need treatment in the sense of being reassured away. People are still going to therapists and are being told they’re worrying too much about this.’ Instead, the Climate Psychology Alliance has set up Climate Café's which it finds to be a beneficial way of helping people to work their way through these feelings and find community. ‘It's a very hospitable space where

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people can share how they feel,’ says Anderson. ‘Some of the feedback we get is “I didn't know other people felt like I did’. Often, black, and ethnic minority people report feeling left out of the conversation when it comes to ecodistress, despite being much more affected by the climate crisis, while contributing the least emissions. As these groups are still fighting against racism, oppression, and the legacy of colonialism, this isn’t the first existential threat they have faced. ‘People of colour say we have been here longer than you, we’ve been in this fight longer than you,’ says Ms Anderson. ‘We've been dealing with existential threat for varied reasons but also environmental reasons. The despoiling of our lands.’ Climate Psychology Alliance is eager to keep the conversation open and involve these groups as much as it can for this very reason. ‘We really try to be mindful and get away from being sort of Eurocentric or first world orientated by involving speakers from different parts of the world and different perspectives at our conferences and events,’ says Anderson. The organisation also strives to include other members of society who may feel pushed out of the conversation, such as working-class communities. While people may be willing to get involved, not everyone can afford to be a volunteer, so grants are used to help pay people who wish to take part. While feelings of eco-distress and the news surrounding the climate crisis can be overwhelming at times, Anderson says it’s important to hold onto ‘radical hope’: ‘It’s not an airy fairy ‘everything will be alright outlook - it’s about acting even though it seems hopeless.’ Taking action in the fight against the climate crisis can also help to resolve some feelings of eco-distress, but it’s important to not try to take on the world. ‘Be really clear on what your purpose is. That sounds very grand, but if your purpose is that you are really good at designing posters then do that,’ she says. In the face of such a gigantic task, it is not surprising many of us are stricken down with fear over what is to come. In these moments finding balance and support is important. But remaining hopeful is the most difficult and most crucial way to break through – without it how would we continue to fight for a better world?

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Case Study

Hammersmith & Fulham

Hammersmith & Fulham’s Award Winning Traffic Congestion and Pollution Reduction Scheme Partnering with air quality experts Vortex gave the council a detailed view of air pollution which led to targeted environmental action. Result: Improved air quality by 50% and reduced carbon emissions by 1 tonne a day.

Client. Hammersmith & Fulham

Challenge. How to know where to act?

Located in the southwest of London, with over 185,000 residents and several major corporations headquartered in the borough, The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (LBHF) is committed to improving air quality for residents through positive sustainability changes, making effective decisions in the right locations and measuring success with accurate data collected from hyper-local, low cost, air quality sensors with street-level accuracy.

Problems caused by high traffic volumes became the largest contributors of air pollution in the borough, compounded by regular use of streets as a thoroughfare for vehicles originating outside the borough. The council wanted a method to measure the results and prove the effectiveness of the restriction zones to residents. Traditional air quality solutions available to Hammersmith & Fulham would not be sufficient in measuring air quality variations at the required frequency and density. LBHF needed spatial and temporal information with sufficient granularity to measure air quality changes at a per-road level, to review traffic interventions and prove their success in reducing pollution with an easy to deploy, affordable and detailed analysis of air quality per street.

LBHF became the first borough to declare a climate emergency in July 2020, pledging to resolve an air pollution and traffic congestion problem and addressing the 80% of congestion attributed to vehicles originating outside the Borough.

Solution. Vortex provided a low-cost air quality monitoring solution that enabled the deployment of a dense network of hyper-local air quality sensors to provide real time air quality data to the council. The sensors are all SIM card free and connected wirelessly through a mesh network that’s driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning configurations. Implementing this technology allows the system to identify and execute calibrations and updates remotely, reducing LBHF’s on-site resource costs.

Vortex’s off the shelf solution provided: Air Quality Monitoring within the council’s budget requirements Street-Level data accuracy of Air Pollution Unprecedented Coverage – World’s densest deployment Detailed analysis of their entire constituency Public access to data on their neighbourhood Lifetime warranty

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Outcomes: Accurate Data for better informed decisions. VTX Air has identified high pollution transmission points that were previously unknown. As a result, LBHF’s award winning Traffic Congestion and Pollution Reduction Scheme has reduced carbon emissions by 1 tonne a day and improved air quality by 50% for residents. Using the technology, the public have been able to see their air quality through a publicly available portal to better understand the impact that the Scheme is having on their health. The key benefit for LBHF was identifying where the pollution is originating and understanding the sources of pollution that are generated inside the borough. LBHF’s installation will further its dense concentration and become the largest scale air quality monitoring network in Europe with a total of 500 sensors deployed before the end of the year.

We needed a system that allowed us to recognise subtle changes in local pollution relating to traffic behaviour. When searching, we found traditional monitors to be far too expensive to install in the density required to see the changes.” John Galsworthy Director, Parking, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham.

PM2.5

Highlighting two events

Special Report

The e-cigarette debate: how they affect air quality and young people The e-cigarette industry is growing at a rapid pace and it is not just adults that are using them. Georgie Hughes investigates how the devices impact air quality and young people’s health

n recent years you may have noticed the boom in e-cigarettes, as the product becomes increasingly popular in the UK. Whether you are at the park, a music gig or in your local bar, there is a chance you will spot a cloud of vapour with a distinctly sweet aroma. In fact, results of an annual survey from Action on Smoking and Health revealed that more Brits than ever are vaping. Now 8.3% of adults are using the devices, the equivalent of 4.3 million people. We all know smoking can have a detrimental effect on air quality, and smoking in public and workplaces was officially banned in the UK in 2007 for this reason. What is not so common knowledge is whether vapes have the same effect especially on indoor pollution levels. Researchers have been conducting analysis to find out. One such study examined the indoor air quality of a vaping convention in Maryland, where attendees varied from seventy-five to as many as six hundred people indoors at one time. Investigators found a large increase in particulate matter, with a 24-hour time-weighted average of 1800 μg/m3, twelve times higher than US Environmental Protection Agency regulations. There was also an uptick in concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide and nicotine. ‘So, it's not a huge concentration, but it depends, right?’ says Ana María Rule, Assistant Professor in the Environmental Health and Engineering department at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who worked on the study. ‘If you have a room full of fifty people vaping, then those concentrations obviously are increased. So, for example, we were concerned that in high schools, middle schools, the kids were going to the bathrooms to vape. They were becoming these chambers with very bad ventilation, not just for kids who are vaping, but also those that come in just to use the bathroom.’ Ms Rule continues: ‘What was the most concerning, in my opinion, was the nicotine. The nicotine concentrations were as high as smoke bars and cigar bars. Nicotine is a neurotoxic and you definitely don't want to be exposed to nicotine so young.’

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Rule’s concerns come as research by NHS Digital has revealed that vaping is increasing amongst secondary school children, with 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds using e-cigarettes in 2021, either regularly or occasionally. This has risen since 2018, when just 6% of pupils said they were vaping. Smoking amongst this age group is also at its lowest level ever recorded, with just 12% reporting having ever smoked, compared to 16% in 2018. Perhaps part of the problem here are the enticing colours and wide range of flavours vapes come in. Going into an e-cigarette vendor can hardly be distinguished from visiting a sweet shop, as you can choose from cotton candy, grape and even peanut butter flavour devices. While in the UK it is illegal to sell e-cigarettes to under 18’s, many manage to avoid being ID’d and to purchase these illicit products. Rule believes newer vapes, which create thinner aerosols and less of a fragrance, also make it easier for young people to hide and sneak them indoors. Jon Foster, Policy Manager at charity Asthma + Lung UK, says the way vapes are advertised needs to be better controlled, to prevent more children from buying them: ‘It is concerning to see a rise in youth vaping and we want to see action to prevent the marketing of these products in ways that appeal to children, especially on social media. As

Special Report

proposed by the recent Khan Review of Tobacco Legislation, we would like to see cartoon characters or images appealing to young people banned and see no justification in their use. It seems clear that enforcement of the age of sale is also a problem, as no one under the age of eighteen should be able to buy these products.’ When it comes to the health effects of these devices, US-based Ms Rule says not enough is known yet to make

definitive claims: ‘What we do know is that all these things in the air are not good for you. And some of them, like the metals, even in low concentrations, should not be inhaled.’ Rule is currently working on a review paper investigating how e-cigarettes interfere with the immune system, as some components have been shown to have immunological effects. This could mean, for example, COVID sufferers who vape could have worse symptoms and a worse prognosis. ‘We shouldn't need to wait to take action on this until we know for sure, right?’ she adds. ‘Are you going to wait 20 years, when people have been exposed to say “oh, whoops, you shouldn’t have been breathing that”? We know already there's so many things in e-cigarettes you shouldn't be breathing.’ However, vaping is seen as an effective solution to curb smoking in the UK – the NHS website recommends e-cigarettes to smokers who wish to give up but does not encourage non-smokers to take up the habit. With smoking the leading cause of preventable death in the UK, healthcare professionals hope providing a convenient way to still access nicotine, like nicotine replacement therapy, can help smokers to quit. An independent report by King’s College London, commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care,

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Special Report also suggests vaping is substantially better for health than smoking. The research, released this September, is the most comprehensive review of risks of vaping to date, based on just over four hundred studies. Levels of tobacco specific nitrosamines, VOCs and other toxicants associated with the diseases caused by smoking were found at significantly lower levels in e-cigarettes users compared to smokers. Overall levels of nicotine were also lower or similar to smokers and levels of toxicants in the bodies of vapers and non-vapers were similar too. ‘Essentially, it's to do with lower levels of toxicants that are going into your body relative to tobacco smoke,’ says Senior Lecturer in Tobacco Harm Reduction, Debbie Robson, ‘It's got no tobacco in it for a start, there’s no combustion or burning things to a high temperature. With a cigarette, you've got the mainstream smoke and the second-hand side stream smoke, but you don't get this with vaping.’ Ms Robson also pointed out that a study based in a vaping convention was included in the review where people were exposed to high levels of nicotine and VOCs, but studies based in more realistic vaping settings did not find detectable levels of these and other substances. It is important also to consider how cigarettes themselves contribute to air pollution - the tobacco industry pumps out eighty-four million tonnes of CO2 annually, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). There are also the 200,000 hectares of land and twentytwo billion tonnes of water it takes to grow tobacco plants. Tobacco waste is also one of the most abundant forms of plastic pollution across the globe, with discarded cigarette butts posing a risk to wildlife and human health. A 2020 report by Keep Britain Tidy revealed cigarette butts were the most littered item in the UK, accounting for 66% of litter found. Butts are usually single use plastic containing

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hundreds of toxic chemicals which can leach into the environment once littered and break down into microplastics. This is not to say e-cigarettes are the environmentally friendly option. E-cigarettes negatively affect indoor air quality and with the growing industry predicted to reach $48.9 billion by 2025, its unclear whether their impact on air pollution will grow. There is also the fact that many vape devices are disposable, with an investigation by e-waste organisation Material Focus and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism finding fourteen million single use vapes are bought each month. These comprise of not just plastic packaging, but e-liquid containers and batteries too. Each vape contains 0.15g of lithium and with an estimated 1.3 million of these thrown away each week, this means the equivalent of 1,200 electric vehicle batteries are thrown away each year. There are pros and cons to e-cigarettes which are beneficial to smokers wishing to quit, but also damaging to the planet and the air around us. At the heart of this debate, though, is health - the devices were formed to tackle the huge public health crisis of smoking which has killed millions globally. With research showing vapes are not entirely risk-free, there is growing concern over non-smokers and children taking up the habit: ‘For people and particularly young people that have never smoked before, that's something that we do need to be cautious about and take notice of because young people are telling us that they feel addicted to them,’ said Robson. The industry is also increasingly being questioned by governments, as China bans the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes and ministers in the Republic of Ireland plan to ban disposable vapes. Whatever happens, it is vital vapes are not permitted to hook another generation to nicotine.

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Improving parking in the community - Lewisham School Streets: Lewisham Council and Videalert

n 2020, Lewisham Council embarked on mission to deliver a school street programme across the most traffic congested locations in the borough, using no motor vehicle controls and CCTV enforcement to reduce traffic volume outside schools, favouring pedestrians and cyclists at school start and finish times. Lewisham Council in partnership with Videalert and NSL (both part of Marston Holdings), have delivered multiple campaigns introducing timed road closures at the start and end of the school day for schools busy with vehicular traffic known to be causing road safety concerns for pedestrians and cyclists, congestion, and poor air quality for all. Air quality in the borough was a known contributor to the impact on young people’s lives and well-being, and the team were committed to delivering improvements using the extent of the powers available to them. Clear objectives were embedded in all communication, engagement sessions and messaging to parents, carers, citizens, schools and wider community. We aimed to: • Tackle congestion - by removing more than 430,000 vehicle movements over a six month period • Improve air quality at the school gates from material reduction in idling and congestion • Make it easier and safer to walk and cycle to school and support active travel

• C reate a friendlier and calmer environment for everyone. Our teams responded to residents’ and schools’ insights and carefully identified suitable schools based on existing street design, location to passenger transport routes and in conjunction with the schools themselves to deliver a successful and well received scheme through a joined-up partnership which is now being used as a blueprint for school streets across the borough. We have achieved 862,500 less vehicle movements during peak drop off and pick up times outside 22 Lewisham schools per year following the scheme’s inception and the amount of traffic around these schools continues to fall. Both Lewisham Council and Videalert were open and responsive to all feedback from schools, parents, and residents and the success of the scheme has now reached beyond the control pick up and drop off hours, and motorist behaviour change can be seen when modelling the change in all vehicle movements - over 1.45m vehicle movements in total have been removed during the academic year outside the schools. This is a hugely rewarding result for local residents in additions to pupils, teachers and parents using the school, improving safety and quality of life for all. As of August 2022, there are 22 schools currently benefiting from the scheme, delivered across four tranches between May 2021 and March 2022 and

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there are more planned for delivery in the future. Nick Ruxton-Boyle, Director of Environment, Marston Holdings, said: “It is clear from the empirical evidence that these camera enforced school streets in Lewisham are promoting healthier neighbourhoods and lifestyles for our children and young adults. Well designed and publicised school streets that enjoy high levels of compliance using state-of-the-art technology and innovative, costeffective enforcement techniques reduce traffic and pollution exactly where it needs to be reduced, where there are young lungs. More children, and families, walking, cycling, and scooting has wide ranging benefits across many areas, including improved personal health, a greater sense of local community and even increased local economic activity.” There are further schools in scope and progressing through detailed scheme design that will see school street controls implemented. Collectively we are looking at how we include hyper local air quality monitoring devices to model the impact of the real-world emissions removed from the immediate environment adjacent to schools. To find out more about Marston Holdings' environmental road management solutions please visit https://www.marstonholdings.co.uk/airquality-and-road-user-charging

The Big Interview

Dr Ian Mudway, senior lecturer at Imperial College School of Public Health and member of the MRC Centre for Environment and Health Should experts stick to the research, or engage with direct and disruptive action to highlight key issues like the climate crisis and air pollution? We take the question to one of those on the frontline of green science.

It’s not every day you get a leading climate scientist on the phone to discuss protests while the UK capital is grinding to a halt because of activists and their actions. Suffice to say, it’s best to make the most of it when it happens. Senior lecturer in Environmental Toxicology at Imperial College, London, Dr. Ian Mudway also works with a number of health research units, including MRC Centre for Environmental Health, and specialises in understanding chemical radiation threats like low altitude and ground level ozone pollution. But we’re not really here to talk CVs. Instead, we’re listening to what he has to say about scientists and doctors participating in direct action aimed at forcing policy changes to address the climate crisis. As we speak, several members of Just Stop Oil are suspended from London’s Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, blocking one of the busiest routes in the city to reiterate that time is quickly running out for humanity to change course and mitigate the worst fallout from the ecological emergency. ‘We’re going to see more demonstrations around issues like climate and air pollution, because there is a growing gap between rhetoric and the reality of how things are progressing,’ Mudway says. ‘Within this there’s a real debate about the extent to which scientists and medical professions should be involved in these actions. For me, the reality is that scientists and the medical community must be present at all

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levels of this. ‘Of course, there are some scientists who are effectively working civil service roles. Within government committees, for example. They obviously cannot take direct action in this way because of the way they are operating within government. They’re trying to advise, to nudge,’ he continues. ‘But after that, I find it strange that this question exists.

“I do worry the word ‘disruptive’ is being used instead of the word ‘effective’… demonstrations are demonstrations to make a point, if they're effective often people think of them only as being disruptive” There should be no fear, no resentment at the fact some of the people demonstrating are profoundly in-thought. The kickback against scientists and doctors worries me a little, because they know what they’re talking about.’ Mudway goes on to explain that, while few outside the science community realise it, academics now feel that part of their responsibility is to push young science talent towards research that is specifically aimed at influencing policy change and engages with the public. In itself a form of direction action, although more discreetly disruptive compared to activist marches, for him it’s as much about proving value for tax spend as it is trying to prove beyond

The Big Interview doubt that current strategies are still failing to respond with appropriate urgency. ‘If the general public is paying for your science, the general public needs to know what you're doing. You need to be out there communicating,’ Mudway says, explaining this viewpoint is shared by many research councils. ‘In a sense, they are doing that when they attend these demonstrations, or if they give satellite presentations, or talks. Or they are put up in front of the media to answer questions. In that role, I think they're really important, because I think they help industry illustrate that the demonstrations are informed by evidence, not by polarised political opinion. The benefit of having scientists is they can say these are just cold facts. This is the fundamental reality. ‘There is a fine balancing line between demonstrating and demonstrating to make a big event which alienates the very people who need to come on board. I don't know the answer to that question, I completely understand why people would want to take directly disruptive action,’ he continues. ‘We know how governments can respond to emergencies. With COVID, we saw heaven and Earth moved to deal with the emergency. Already, in the economic crisis, big

attention? ‘Legislation is being brought into the United Kingdom framed as preventing disruptive demonstrations. But I do worry the word ‘disruptive’ is being used instead of the word ‘effective’. Demonstrations are demonstrations to make a point, if they're effective often people think of them only as being disruptive,’ says Mudway, recalling the difference between the atmosphere at a 2019 Extinction Rebellion shutdown of Waterloo Bridge, and the way it was discussed in the media and by politicians. ‘I think people having a right to demonstrate is a fundamental democratic right. The government would counter by saying people have the democratic right to go about their lives. Where do you find a balance between these positions?

‘You can see those two groups of people just banging their heads against each other, they're not going to shift.

government decisions are happening quickly to tackle the issue. They see rhetoric, but not equivalent degrees of action on climate change, on air pollution. There’s a disconnect and it causes people to feel that they have to wake others up, shake them through actions.’ With the Home Office announcing its intention to tighten protest laws - a significant concern for free speech advocates already alarmed by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, our conversation naturally moves to whether nondisruptive direct action can be effective. Is the truth that politicians only grasp the severity of a situation when they see considerable economic and societal impact resulting from the actions of those trying to get their

I think people like Extinction Rebellion have raised the profile dramatically, in a good way. I mean, in a very positive way. And I think many of the people complaining or highlighting the fact that we are still investing in fossil fuels at a period of time when we were supposed to follow our commitments made at COP26 are right to do so,’ he says, before making it clear that the onus falling on scientists like him is less about rallies, and more tied to building new alliances. ‘If someone wants to have a talk on a topic, I will go and I will talk. And I don't care who asks me to talk to them. I try to be as apolitical as I can possibly be. Because otherwise, you end up in an echo chamber speaking to people only agree

“If the general public is paying for your science, the general public needs to know what you're doing. You need to be out there communicating”

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Legal

India’s Lawmakers Cannot Breathe Judicial overstretch was used to tackle soaring New Delhi air pollution levels. Supreme Court lawyer Varun Srinivasan, explains why this was necessary, and how the legal framework in his country of practice compares to the powers afforded by the United Kingdom’s own Clean Air Bill.

s October rolls into November, the atmosphere in India’s capital is marked by contrasting forces. On the one hand, twinkling lights on rooftops and buildings chequer the night sky, brightening up New Delhi’s streets for Diwali. On the other, the festival of lights ushers in an annual period of peak air pollution and smog that returns the city to darkness. Today, though, there is one sound missing: the endless racket of firecrackers, part and parcel of how Indians have traditionally celebrated Diwali. The story of New Delhi, the most

polluted capital in the world, and its ban on firecrackers during Diwali, is an interesting case study of an unlikely institution rising up to meet the challenges of air pollution. The policy measure to ban firecrackers owes its origin not to Delhi Pollution Control Committee, nor the Central Pollution Control Board, nor even the Department of Environment – or any of the numerous institutions of the executive branch tasked with actually taking policy measures. Instead, this is the Supreme Court of India’s work, in part catalysed by judges waking up every morning

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and coughing throughout their commute. The Supreme Court of India’s interest in environmental issues is not new. In the 1980’s, a newly energised Supreme Court ushered in an unprecedented era of judicial activism in environmental issues, with landmark decisions that recognised a legal right to a clean environment in the Indian Constitution. In the 1990’s, the Court had inched towards directing positive measures such as the protection of ecologically fragile coastal areas from environmental threats. By 2010, as

Legal

Delhi’s air began worsening, the Court grew accustomed to issuing orders. For example, the conversion of the entire Delhi fleet of diesel buses to Compressed Natural Gas, with taxis soon to follow. Diwali in 2016 brought with it what is now known as the Great Delhi Smog, with air pollution reaching crisis point. The PM2.5 levels in the air crossed 700 μg/m3 – among the highest levels in the world, and about 29 times above WHO standards. The Air Quality Index had risen to 700 (classed as ‘very severe’). In a seminal judgment, Arjun Gopal v. Union of India, the Supreme Court came up with the most comprehensive and drastic measures ever taken to stop Delhi’s air quality deterioration. The line between judicial duty and newfound executive role was blurring. The Court in Arjun Gopal had three points to make: First, the executive

machinery had failed. The steps taken by the government of Delhi had been, at best, paperwork. The Court tore into the ‘lethargic’ response of an ineffective government, pushing it to a sustained campaign to bring air pollution back to manageable levels during and after Diwali. Second, the desperate Court passed a slew of 16 directions which every executive authority was required to action. Chief among these was a blanket ban on the sale and use of firecrackers in Delhi (later modified to control firecracker manufacturing licenses). The firecracker ban has been especially significant, not because it was seen as the major contributor to pollution, but it targets a quintessential part of Diwali and showed the lengths the Court was prepared to go to. Third, and perhaps most significantly, the Court made the right to breathe clean air as fundamental to the right to life and liberty. By making the right to clean air a core legal right, the Supreme Court reframed what would otherwise be seen as policy measures to a judicial remedy aimed at righting a wrong against the people. Once it is cast as a legal right in this way, the Supreme Court can exercise writ jurisdiction, including the authority to command and issue directions to the State when actions affect that fundamental right. An idea borrowed from the United Kingdom, English courts became familiar with writs as ‘prerogative remedies’ against the administration. Today they are used, in some form, during public law cases. While the Indian Supreme Court has grown accustomed to using writ remedies in get into environmental policy-making, courts in England have not followed suit. In fact, in 1997, the former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Lord Harrold Woolf wrote a paper Are the Judiciary Environmentally Myopic? He concluded that British courts had been right not to become over-involved in policy making, which he (and others) viewed as best left to executive wings of government. The traditional resistance to this idea is understandable. While the Indian Supreme Court’s interventions are often welcome judicial activism, it presents the risks of judicial overreach. Many see the United States Supreme Court decision in Baker v. Carr as laying down the test for what

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is legitimate judicial intervention and what is judicial overreach: the remedy must not suffer from a lack of judicially discoverable and manageable standards for resolution. How would a court in India or United Kingdom have the expertise to monitor the implementation of scientific measures, their impact, or their evolution? In part, the judgment in Arjun Gopal eventually admitted that it could not scientifically conclude whether firecrackers contributed to pollution, but it nevertheless viewed them as a problem to abate in order to reduce pollution levels. Arjun Gopal, nevertheless, showed how this radical step can work, and has become a milestone in the Supreme Court of India’s ongoing fight against air pollution.

The reformulation of clean air from policy goal to legal right is similar to that which the Clean Air Bill in the United Kingdom seeks to do, but the fact its provisions have not seen the light of day shows one advantage of letting a court, with a rich jurisprudence of prerogative remedies, involve itself in environmental policy: writ remedies are unshackled by political whims, and are useful when political will fails, as happened in Delhi. For cities that are staring air quality problems in the face, Arjun Gopal shows it is possible to find a way forward even when institutions have run out of steam. But the lesson is clear: nothing works without a legally enforceable right to clean air.

Local Government

Air pollution doesn’t recognise borders. Nor should policy Defra’s new Air Quality Minister, Trudy Harrison, explains the role of a new Forum for International Cooperation on Air Pollution, a transboundary group working towards multilateral solutions to the crisis Air Quality News prides itself on independent journalism but is also committed to shining a light on the latest ideas, policies and initiatives impacting this rapidly evolving space. With this in mind, and with fast-moving changes at governmental level, we thought it prudent to offer the UK’s new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, some editorial room to breathe and outline recent developments effecting the atmosphere. This comes at a time when our understanding of how to tackle air pollution is going through a long-overdue paradigm shift. No longer a static issue, or solo problem with responsibility shouldered by individual regions or nations, much like the wider climate crisis itself, there is growing acknowledgement that air quality is a global issue and can only be tackled through well-conceived multilateral solutions that cross boundaries. Fittingly, this was the core message of 2022’s International Day of Clean Air and forms the fundamental raison d'etre for a new task force that met for the first-time midOctober to discuss how to turn that ideology into action. What follows was written by Trudy Harrison, the minister

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Westminster has charged with handling matters tied to air quality, shortly after attending that inaugural gathering.

ir pollution continues to be the greatest environmental risk to human health. It causes a range of life-shortening diseases, drives down productivity, and costs global economies billions every year. While it is vital that we take action on domestic emissions, air quality in the United Kingdom is also affected by pollution from other countries, and vice versa. A transboundary problem requires transboundary solutions, which can only be achieved by co-operating at a global scale. The new Forum for International Cooperation on Air Pollution (FICAP) is providing a platform to do this. Cochaired by the United Kingdom and Sweden, it will bring together air quality experts, countries and organisations to discuss international action to improve global air quality and increase cooperation. I had the pleasure of opening the inaugural Task Force meeting of the Forum in Bristol last month, with my first speech as Defra’s Minister for Air Quality. The Forum is building on the foundations of the UNECE (United Nations

Local Government 22 Air Quality Grant scheme more than doubled to £11.6m. Since 2010, almost 500 projects have been awarded a share of more than £42m through the scheme. These have included a digital education package to teach children and parents about the health impacts of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, and the development of a community website to share air quality information and raise awareness with local residents and visitors. We’ve regulated the sale of the most polluting solid fuels and stoves used for domestic burning, which is a major contributor to air pollution, accounting for 24.7% of total PM2.5 particulate emissions in 2020. We estimate this action will abate over 90kilotonnes of PM2.5 between 2020 and 2030 by driving down sales of wet wood and coal. We are also working with agricultural and industrial sectors to reduce emissions, taking a collaborative approach to support the adoption of new innovative technologies. Air pollution at a national level continues to reduce significantly, with nitrogen oxide down by 44% and PM2.5 down 18% since 2010. However, in 2018 Public Health England estimated the costs of these pollutants to health and social care services in England alone could reach between £5.3 and £18.6 billion between 2018 and 2035, so we know there is more to do.

Economic Commission for Europe) Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution, established in 1979, to address air pollution and its impacts on the environment and public health at an international level. It has since played an instrumental role in reducing harmful pollutants in both Europe and North America, with sulphur dioxide (SO2) falling 70% in Europe between 1990 and 2006 and nitrogen oxide (NO2) dropping by 35%. If we are to continue achieving the reductions in emissions we know are needed to protect people’s health, our economies and our environments, we must continue to find new and innovative solutions on a global scale. In my previous role as a Minister at the Department for Transport, I was involved in work to reduce transport emissions, which are our largest greenhouse gas contributor, making up 27% of overall UK emissions. The government has made world-leading pledges in this area: we want all new road vehicles to be zero emissions at the tail pipe by 2035, from the largest HGVs to the smallest motorcycles. As part of the 2017 NO2 plan, we have also made £883m available to affected local authorities to deliver cleaner transport and improve air quality. We’ve taken a range of other significant action domestically to reduce air pollution. This includes helping local governments implement a range of unique place-based solutions, with funding paid to authorities through the 2021-

That is why we are proud to be co-chairing the new Forum and have committed to working together to develop solutions that can be implemented across the international community. These solutions will drive down emissions and protect health and biodiversity, making sure that we can all benefit from cleaner economic growth. It is our hope the Forum for International Cooperation on Air Pollution will be a beacon of global environmental leadership and innovation, and I look forward to seeing it go from success to success.

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Marketplace Enviro Technology Services

AS Modelling & Data Ltd

GRAMM SmogStop

RHT Industries Limited

Founded in 1983 and now active in over 67 countries with a multimillion pound turnover, ET has evolved over 37 years to become a global provider of air quality and emissions monitoring systems and servicing. The company sell and lease equipment, systems and services covering the monitoring of ambient air quality (AQM), continuous emissions (CEM) and indoor air quality. ET also supplies cutting-edge analytical equipment for scientific, process and research monitoring including the monitoring of greenhouse and toxic gases. The company operates out of a custom-designed 1700m2 factory featuring fully air-conditioned calibration and repair laboratories, in-house system manufacturing and dedicated testing and training facilities.

AS Modelling & Data provides dispersion and deposition modelling using the latest version of ADMS for a wide range of clients including farms, the waste water industry, waste management, general manufacturing and Local Authorities. Our team can provide the expertise, modelling, data and reports for odour, ammonia and air quality assessments including detailed modelling of emissions from ammonia scrubbers and innovative ventilation systems. AS Modelling & Data can also provide meteorological station data and site-specific Numerical Weather Prediction data for any site location in the world, which can be converted for use within ADMS. We can provide data for meteorological parameters on request and data can be provided quickly at affordable prices. stevesmith@asmodata.co.uk

GRAMM is the UK leading specialist in the design, supply & installation of environmental acoustic barriers. We have constructed literally 1,000’s of Km’s of acoustic barriers of all types of materials throughout the UK and Europe. GRAMM SmogStop Barrier reduces air and noise pollution levels in surrounding neighbourhoods, and takes a two-pronged approach to reducing air pollution from major roads, highways and railways. The patented aerodynamic design reduces pollution levels by enhancing dispersion. At the same time, a proprietary coating on the barrier actually breaks down the NOx and VOCs that produce smog, transforming them into harmless by-products

We are an indoor environment air treatment manufacturer that brings to market an innovative, sustainable and an environmentally friendly technology. Developed in cooperation with the world-renowned Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, our NCCO (Nano Confined Catalytic Oxidation) air treatment system is entirely safe and has one of the longest filter lives in our industry. It is effective in killing bacteria, viruses, removes Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), odours, smoke, PM2.5 particulates, yeasts, and allergens. Our products are used in a wide range of industries such paint, perfume, air, rail, hotel industries, hospitals, offices and in the home.

T: 01453 733200 www.et.co.uk

T: 01952 462500 www.asmodata.co.uk

T: 01323 872243 www.smogstop.co.uk

T : +44 1565 640 960 www.int.rhtair.com

CarTakeBack

Environmental Monitoring Arcola Energy

CarTakeBack is the UK’s largest network of scrap car recycling centres with over 300 sites across the UK. CarTakeBack provide a scrap vehicle recycling service to the public and businesses including vehicle manufacturers, dealerships, police forces, auction houses as well as local authorities and government bodies. CarTakeBack recycle vehicles to the highest standard and have a successful history of handling and supporting vehicle scrappage schemes - including government and local authority schemes as well as vehicle manufacturer and dealership lead schemes.

T: 08000 71 71 91 www.CarTakeBack.com info@CarTakeBack.com

Data Monitoring Systems Ltd are a complete data solutions provider From your single analyser, right through to your complete network, our Data Gateway has the ability to connect to 20 analysers simultaneously. Major analysers, for example, Thermo, Palas, Ecotech, Vaisala, and more may be connected to our Data Gateways with automatic calibrations also being carried out. Data ratification, and reports may be carried using our Reports package. Coming soon: ï I ndoor Air Monitoring system measuring: • TVOC, • Particles • CO2 • Temperature • Humidity with display, mobile phone and WiFi connectivity.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle engineering, Tier 1 Powertrain supply and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle project delivery.

ïW eb portal for displaying your data. ï Mobile phone application.

Arcola Energy is a leading specialist in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for energy and transport. We help our customers to develop the right technology, supply-chain, deployment strategy, and after market solutions, avoiding costly mistakes and aiming to delight end-users. We have a collaborative approach, building long-term partnerships with and between our customers, suppliers and end-users. We focus on products which make a positive contribution to society, delivered with total commitment to quality, safety and compliance. Our manufacturing, installation and service facility in Liverpool City Region has capacity to supply 1,000s of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles per year.

T: 01382 524916 enquiries@datamonitoring. co.uk www.datamonitoring.co.uk

T: 020 7503 1386 sales@arcolaenergy.com www.arcolaenergy.com

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Em-Monitors (Environmental Monitoring) is a specialist provider and manufacturer of a range of environmental monitoring equipment. We recognise the need to minimise cost by providing accurate and meaningful data remotely to any location in the world. Our air monitoring systems cover indicative indoor and air quality systems as well as reference system required to report to national standards. Environmental Monitoring also provide workplace monitoring equipment and training, so that you can produce professional reports with confidence. Environmental Monitoring covers all your environmental monitoring requirements.

T: 01539 727 878 www.airquality-monitoring.co.uk em-monitors.co.uk

Marketplace Bosch Air Quality Solutions

Alphasense supplies high-quality gas and particulate sensors to many of the world’s leading industrial OEMs in the air quality, industrial and gas safety industries. With over 25 years’ experience in the design and manufacture of high-accuracy sensors, the Alphasense brand is synonymous with quality and innovation, particularly in the fields of gas detection, industrial gas analysis and environmental monitoring

T: +44 (0) 1376 556700 https://www.alphasense.com/

Compelled by worsening levels of air pollution in the UK, Evotech launched its specialist air quality division to help customers create safer working environments and is currently supporting clients to improve confidence in returning to the workplace during and after the pandemic. We help UK businesses and organisations create healthier and safer working environments by monitoring and transforming their indoor air quality.

T: 0333 207 4245 www.evotechairquality.co.uk/

AQMesh is the proven small sensor outdoor air quality monitor manufactured in the UK by Environmental Instruments Ltd and supported worldwide through a global network of distributors. It has been designed to offer a robust and easy-to-use air quality monitoring system that can deliver localised real-time readings, improving the accuracy and scope of gathering air quality data in order to support initiatives to reduce air pollution and its risk to human health.

The Bosch air quality portfolio is focused on providing highly precise data with the expertise to improve the air quality around us. Offering a tool to local authorities to understand source emissions and model the implications on air quality. Highly beneficial for current advanced traffic management including assessing the effect on air quality for planned infrastructure projects. We measure pollutants using our Certified Air Quality Monitoring Box (AQMB) measuring Ambient Gases and Indicative PM (Optical Particle Counter) and track these pollutants independently or in combination with our Air Quality Software solutions; Environmentally Sensitive Traffic Management (ESTM) and Air Quality Dispersion Model (AQDM).

E: Ian.Larbey@uk.bosch.com https://www.bosch-mobilitysolutions.com/en/solutions/airquality-solutions/air-qualitysolutions/

T: +44 (0)1789 777703 www.aqmesh.com

At Marston Holdings we understand the current challenges our local authority clients are facing whether they be social, economic or environmental. We work collaboratively with our 500+ clients in the UK and EU to develop, refine and execute a wide range of end to end transport and enforcement solutions to meet their local and combined air quality and environmental targets and objectives. We provide complete design, build and enforce services for clean air zones and low emission zones and are working with many cities and regions on their bespoke solutions.

T: 07767 833034 www.marstonholdings.co.uk/ airquality/

SUEZ Smart & Environmental Solutions’ (SES) Air & Climate Division recognises the rising pressures to address poor air quality to protect public health and preserve the natural environment. SUEZ SES is committed to achieving and improving air quality levels to as low as reasonably practicable. The Air & Climate Division has developed a global approach for the management of air quality and has been offering solutions for reducing atmospheric pollution and nuisance odours for more than 20 years. The Division is a leader when it comes to innovation. Excellent progress has been made developing and effectively integrating services and solutions across a broad range of sectors that capture both private and public sector clients, with improved air quality levels observed.

T: 0 7785 695 155 www.suez.com/en/ouroffering/local-authorities/ taking-action-for-climate-andair-quality-in-cities

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EarthSense is a leading air quality specialist, providing expert services in air pollution monitoring, modelling and data provision. EarthSense deliver innovative solutions, enabling the world to visualise and manage its air quality issues with the mantra: Measure. Model. Act. Offering a complete data solution to air pollution from inception to implementation, EarthSense’s modelling and monitoring products highlight a reputation for technical excellence in air quality services in the UK and abroad. Products include the Zephyr air quality monitor and versatile modelling programme MappAir, carefully validated against the government standard Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN) for gaseous pollutants including Nitrogen Dioxide, Ozone and Particulate Matter.

T: 0116 296 7460 www.earthsense.co.uk

Our cities are getting bigger and more complex. We want to make mobility safer, more efficient, and more sustainable with forward-looking infrastructure and transport solutions. Yunex Traffic develops innovative mobility ecosystems and services for the smart city. This combines freedom of movement with limited space; autonomy with safety; climate targets with value creation; quality of life with digital progress.

T: 01202 782000 Uniting what’s next in traffic.

www.yunextraffic.com/global/ en/

We are connecting the dots of a new mobility revolution that is transforming our towns and cities.

operators to make their road networks and fleets intelligent, enhance road safety and improve air quality.

With the broadest end-to-end portfolio of intelligent traffic management solutions, we work with cities, highway authorities and mobility

It’s time to make the world a better place. We are ready. Are you?

www.yunextraffic.com/uk

Combining the very best for a brighter, cleaner future! Whatever your air quality or transport decarbonisation plans, Marston Holdings can help at every step with market leading solutions incorporating: Hyperlocal AQ data monitoring and visualisation Design and planning of AQ interventions Technology solutions to support AQ schemes On street and digital enforcement services We provide unrivalled services for local authorities to achieve long-term air quality improvements. Speak to a member of the team to find out more.

www.marstonholdings.co.uk/airquality airquality@marstonholdings.co.uk