Air pollution is a huge threat to our health and the world around us.
What is air pollution?
Air pollution is when the air around us contains things (called pollutants) that can harm our health. There are lots of different pollutants in the air, including things like emissions from cars and vehicles, dust from tyres and brakes of cars and fumes from industrial processes.
Some areas around the UK have very high levels of air pollution and some might not. This usually depends on the area surroundings, like how many busy roads there are in a place, and it also changes depending on the weather.
You can click on the button below to check out the air pollution levels in your area.
Why is air pollution dangerous for us?
Air pollution has a significant effect on our health and is the largest threat to public health in the UK.
Every year air pollution is linked with up to 36,000 early deaths in the UK.
Short periods of high air pollution can trigger asthma attacks for people with asthma or cause difficulty breathing and coughing. In the long-term, air pollution can cause serious health conditions or worsen existing ones, like asthma or heart disease.
What's the air pollution like near me?
See what the air pollution is like in your area, by going to the DEFRA site.
If someone already has asthma or a lung condition, what does bad air quality mean for them?
Millions of people in the UK today have a lung condition. Air pollution can be especially dangerous for these people because air pollution can cause their symptoms to get much worse – this can cause asthma attacks, flare-ups, and people even having to go to hospital.
