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  1. Published on: 21/06/2018 02:03 PMReported by: roving-eye
    Young children and babies in the UK are being disproportionately impacted by deadly levels of the most harmful type of air pollution, according to new analysis by Unicef UK.



    The charity has revealed that one in three children in the UK (4.5 million) are growing up in areas with unsafe levels of particulate pollution.This includes 1.6 million of all children aged five and younger, and 270,000 babies under one living in the most toxic air zones.

    This Clean Air Day, Unicef UK is calling for the Government to prioritise and fund measures that target the worst-polluted areas and protect children from toxic air in places they live, learn and play.

    Of the 20 local authorities with the largest proportion of babies living in them, almost three-quarters breach safe levels for particulate matter. Among the worst affected are children in Birmingham, London, Manchester, Liverpool and Bristol.

    Evidence shows that particulate matter is the most lethal type of air pollution for human health – and children are the most vulnerable to its detrimental effects. Exposure to particulate matter during this critical stage of development can stunt children’s lung growth, affect brain development and could leave them with long-term health problems such as asthma. This not only impacts their health now, but limits their opportunities later in life. Long-term exposure could leave them suffering with lung cancer or cardiovascular disease as adults.

    Every year, the health effects from PM2.5 exposure cost the NHS and social care over £40 million. Public Health England research shows that even the smallest improvement in air quality could reap massive rewards for children and the UK taxpayer.[2]

    Amy Gibbs, Unicef UK’s Director of Advocacy, said: “We already know that air pollution is harmful, but these findings force us to face a shocking reality about the acute impact on children’s health. Worryingly, one-third of our children could be filling their lungs with toxic air that puts them at risk of serious, long-term health conditions.

    “It’s unacceptable that the most vulnerable members of society, who contribute the least to air pollution, are the ones suffering most from its effects. We wouldn’t make our children drink dirty water, so why are we allowing them to breathe dirty air?

    “There are practical solutions to protect our children from the harm air pollution can cause. The Government must accept this is a children’s health crisis and offer targeted action and funding to reduce their exposure in the most polluted areas. Children should not be forced to breathe toxic air in the areas where they live, learn and play.”

    Leah Pulman, a teacher at Unicef Rights Respecting School, Bonner Primary said: “I really worry about the long-term effects of air pollution on my students’ health– this is a serious issue, particularly for children living in towns and cities. It’s vital we are talking about air pollution with children, so they understand the harm it can cause them and the importance of reducing their exposure.

    “My class has been measuring the quality of the air in our local area and we were shocked with what we found. The children and parents seem much more engaged with this issue and are now taking new routes to school along quieter, cleaner roads.

    “What’s happened in our school is really positive, but more needs to be done to protect children consistently across the UK. All schools urgently need dedicated programmes that will help them to do this kind of work.”

    For more information about Unicef UK’s clean air campaign, visit: unicef.org.uk/cleanair

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  3. said says:21/06/2018 07:34 PM
    According to several publications, air pollution in the UK is among the lowest in Europe. (Daily Mail, This Is Money, etc.,) Obviously, pollution is higher in the cities where there is far more traffic, more buildings and less space for air to move freely. It appears that the Government is now very concerned about the situation in the UK - yet they continue to build on more and more greenbelt land? Which brings us back to the fact that the UK is only a small island, and is suffering from overcrowding yet the Government is reluctant to allow movement of existing housing. More people, more traffic, more pollution from vehicles. New housing projects add to pollution. Large areas of forestry and green land are concreted over preventing the absorption of carbon dioxide.. and also act to destroy natural habitats that are essential to producing food in the UK. New houses are built incorporating several chemicals much of which is released into the ground. Each house contains air conditioning and heating appliances - each of which release more dioxins into the atmosphere. The healthiest places to live are in Yorkshire, which is surrounded by green land, Cornwall and Devon, and the Lake District.
    Since new house building is far more profitable in the short term, this will not stop - air pollution will not improve either - but what this will lead to is an increase in more taxing in the form of Pollution Tax.

    **Latest Pollution Summary http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/latest/. This shows the
    latest measured levels of air pollution, providing a retrospective view of pollution
    levels for the 16 regions of the UK.

  4. bensherman says:21/06/2018 08:37 PM
    We used to live in a beautiful village at the foot of the Chilterns. Nice as it was when we retired we decided it wasn't a place to grow old in.
    During our time there my wife developed asthma for which she needs daily inhalers.
    When she told our GP we were leaving and moving to (both) the Isle of Wight and Southport, he said she would notice an improvement in her breathing because the M40/M4 quadrant is so heavily polluted. Not many factories, but an awful lot of traffic, often stationary.
    He was right. She has got better.
    When we visit friends now in that area she has a temporary increase in symptoms but they tail away once we are not there.

  5. Little Londoner says:22/06/2018 07:30 PM
    Statistics who'd have them, I read that one in four men are happy with their life the other 3 are married.


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