Harriet Edwards
Senior Policy and Projects Officer. Air Quality, Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation
Lockdown gave us all a glimpse of what it is like to breathe clean air and for many, including people with COPD, the experience was temporarily life-enhancing.
During the first national lockdown we were all given a glimpse of what a future with clean air could look and feel like.
As widespread travel restrictions came into effect, vehicle emissions, the highest contributors to air pollution in our towns and cities, were quickly reduced. This resulted in lower concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, in the atmosphere.
Air pollution contributes to 36,0001 premature deaths each year and is the biggest environment threat to human health . It places a great burden on the NHS. PM2.5 is the most dangerous form and is linked to many long-term illnesses, such as lung cancer and cardiovascular disease.
There are 12 million people in the UK already living with lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), plus the new cohort of people with ongoing breathing problems as a result of COVID-19. The exposure to high levels of air pollution can have immediate devastating consequences on these groups and impact their quality of life.
One in six people with lung disease2, representing two million people, said their symptoms had improved during the first lockdown due to lower air pollution.
Widening health inequalities
Lung disease disproportionately impacts those living in the most deprived communities in the UK3 and people from the poorest areas are two-and-a-half times more likely to have COPD. Research shows that these communities are often exposed to the highest levels of toxic air.
COVID-19 is exposing the harsh realities of these health inequalities. Communities living with multiple deprivation are not only suffering the worst health effects of air pollution but are also most impacted by the pandemic.
Air pollution is increasing
Whilst COVID-19 restrictions remain, figures show that traffic levels4 are close to pre-pandemic levels and rising as many people shift from public transport to private cars.
The increased use of older, dirtier vehicles is likely to cause air pollution levels to soar and the problem could become even more widespread as people stay away from towns and cities.
Air pollution contributes to 36,0001 premature deaths each year and is the biggest environment threat to human health.
As part of the COVID-19 response, the government has granted local authorities extra funds to improve cycling and walking and to aid social distancing measures, which is a huge step forward.
At the same time, measures designed to reduce vehicles emissions in major towns and cities across the UK, where some of the most deprived communities live and work, are being delayed or scrapped.
Birmingham, which has high levels of lung disease and has also been heavily impacted by COVID-19, had its Clean Air Zone delayed a further six months.
The UK’s air quality laws are also inadequate and current legal limits for PM2.5 are double those recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Air pollution is part of pandemic response and recovery
Tackling air pollution needs to go hand in hand with the COVID-19 response to prevent excess hospital admissions, reduce new lung conditions and improve the lung resilience of the UK population.
Widespread clean air planning to reduce toxic air is crucial to ensuring a green economic recovery and the government must use the Environment Bill, which is now back in parliament, to set tougher air quality laws, including legally binding targets on PM2.5 in line with WHO guidelines.
References:
1 Public Health England air pollution evidence review, March 2019 | 2 Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation survey of 14,000 people with lung conditions, June 2020 | 3 British Lung Foundation’s Battle for Breath Report, 2016 | Asthma UK. Car use returned to 100% of pre-lockdown levels, August 2020 4
