William Eichler 29 April 2022

Nearly all UK addresses breach air pollution limits

Nearly all UK addresses breach air pollution limits image
Image: NadyGinzburg/Shutterstock.com.

Around 97% of all UK addresses breach at least one World Health Organisation (WHO) limit for toxic pollutants, shocking new report reveals.

Analysis by the Central Office of Public Interest (COPI) reveals 21.5 million – nearly three in four – UK addresses breach the WHO limits of three toxic pollutants, and 97% breach at least one WHO limit for toxic air.

COPI sourced and mapped the air pollution levels recorded at 20,000 monitoring sites in over 320 UK council areas.

Buckingham Palace in central London falls into the 98th national percentile with some of the highest air pollution levels in the UK, and Balmoral Castle into the lowest percentile, with some of the cleanest air.

Cities suffer greatest, but even addresses in Kent, as well as Bath, East Anglia and some coastal towns have some of the UK’s worst pollution. Some properties here fall into the top percentile for dirty air.

‘Air pollution affects all of us. It’s a group one cause of cancer, just like asbestos,’ said Humphrey Milles, founder of COPI and creator of the addresspollution.org website.

‘With this new accurate data now publicly available, it would be shameful for the property industry to not start acting transparently. Lives depend on it. Everyone has a right to know what they’re breathing before they buy or rent. And of course, we have our own part to play in this too. Air pollution isn’t insurmountable and we can all do something about it.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Director of Public Health

Royal Borough of Greenwich
Up to £131,210
The Public Health department is at the heart of the council’s business. Greenwich, London (Greater)
Recuriter: Royal Borough of Greenwich

Head of Regeneration and Growth

Plymouth City Council
£68,387 - £74,411 (MFS and relocation available, pay award pending)
This is a unique opportunity to lead our award-winning development team and directly deliver hundreds of millions of pounds of projects. Plymouth, Devon
Recuriter: Plymouth City Council

Director of Adult Social Care

Wiltshire Council
£119,390 - £127,137
Join us as the Director of Adult Social Care and make a real difference to people’s lives. Wiltshire
Recuriter: Wiltshire Council

Assistant Director Planning, Performance & Engagement

East Sussex County Council
up to £97,700
With strong local communities, unspoilt countryside and vibrant coastal towns, East Sussex offers an exceptional quality of life to many. East Sussex
Recuriter: East Sussex County Council

Director of Finance & Commerce

Lancashire County Council
Up to £114,339
You will play a critical role in driving the organisation through complex change and innovation. Lancashire
Recuriter: Lancashire County Council
Linkedin Banner