Thanks to the work of the Royal College of Physicians, we now know that air pollution kills 40,000 people in the UK a year. If recent European research is right, however, the real mortality rate could be twice as high – making air pollution officially a bigger killer than smoking.
Whatever the exact numbers, it’s clear that air pollution is the biggest environmental risk in the UK right now.
The good news is that we’re finally starting to take notice: this year, three times as many people searched for a real-time map of air pollution compared to five years ago, while searches for an air pollution “app” have skyrocketed. Meanwhile, climate strikes have been coordinated at thousands of schools across the world, and the campaign group Extinction Rebellion held a high-profile month of demonstrations in London this April.
Unfortunately, even in the best case scenario, it’s likely to take many years to transition to a world of electric cars and renewable energy – so in the short term at least we’re going to have to continue living in a world of polluted cities. The question is: can you do anything to protect yourself? Let’s take a look at the various suggestions you can find on the internet today:
Things to buy
Indoor air purifiers
There are plenty of air purifiers on the market which claim to remove harmful particles from your home. The first thing to be aware of is that they’re not all equal. Some are simply too small to be effective, whereas others – such as ionizing purifiers or ozone purifiers – can be actively harmful to your health.
The US’s Environmental Protection Agency has produced a guide to selecting a purifier. The key points are:
- To clear out particulate matter (small molecules like dust and broken off pieces from car tyres), you need a HEPA filter. This needs to be able to clear the air at a rate adequate for the size of your home.
- To filter out harmful gases such as nitrogen dioxide and household chemicals, you need an activated carbon filter. This needs replacing regularly.
- Place any filter you buy in the room you spend the most time in.
Verdict: Air purifiers can be effective in the home, as long as you get the right kind – and you replace the filters often. Ultimately, they are quite an expensive solution.
Plants
Air purifying plants sound like a perfect natural alternative to purifiers. There’s some logic to the thought that if planting trees can combat climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the air, then an indoor plant could purify the air in a similar way.
The evidence you see online all comes back to one study carried out by NASA. Unfortunately, while house plants do have a purifying effect, it’s nowhere near enough to make a real difference. In fact, some have estimated that for a tiny office you’d need 1,000 house plants to achieve the same effect as a standard ventilation system. Apart from being completely impractical, you’d then struggle with other problems – such as a huge increase in humidity in the room.
Verdict: Don’t bother.
Pollution masks
The recent emergence of air pollution masks as a fashion trend shows that there really is a market for everything. Air pollution masks range from cheap surgical facemasks to highly-expensive and bulky masks, similar to those used in dangerous work settings. Do any of them work?
So far there hasn’t been much research into the effects of wearing a facemask on reducing the harmful effects of air pollution. Many facemasks are built to filter out large particles, but some of the most damaging particles we breathe in every day are so small that they can enter your bloodstream.
For a mask to be effective it needs to:
- Fit perfectly over your face – an effective seal is essential, as any gap renders the mask useless.
- Filter out PM2.5 – this is one of the main types of particle in the air that can cause damage. Look for masks which say “N95” or “S100” – they are built to filter out most particles of this size.
Verdict: More research needed. If you’re going to buy one, get it properly fitted and make sure it filters out small particles. Please try to get one that doesn’t look too apocalyptic.
Things to change
Your route to work or school
Research has shown that air pollution tends to be concentrated in the streets with the heaviest traffic, with pollution levels declining dramatically in quieter streets and alleys.
These days you can download an air pollution app such as London Air to help you see where the pollution is most concentrated and help you plan your route.
Of course, if you plan to drive on these quieter roads, you’ll make them more polluted.
Verdict: Good if you can walk/cycle to work – just don’t ruin other people’s “safe routes” with your car.
Your transport
You’d think that sitting in your car with the windows closed and the air conditioning system on would protect you from the worst of the pollution outside. However, research has shown that those who drive are the most exposed to air pollution. Paradoxically, it’s far better to cycle or walk, which is good for your health anyway.
Should you go underground and take the metro? Absolutely not, according to Transport for London. Pollution on some routes can be up to 30 times at street level. It’s far better to stay above ground.
Verdict: Great if you’re in a position to ditch your car. It’s not just good for the environment – it’s good for you. But if you have to commute long distances to work, this won’t be an option.
Your schedule
Air pollution levels vary throughout the day and hit their highest during rush hour. Therefore a common piece of advice you’ll find is to simply change when you travel – perhaps by working different hours or even working from home.
While this can be effective, we’re sceptical about how practical this advice is. For example, if you have children, you can’t choose when to pick them up from school. You can try and persuade them to pick up a hobby such as music or sports to practice after school, but as an air pollution avoidance strategy this is probably going too far.
The bigger problem is that this strategy only works if everybody else sticks to their normal schedule. For more people to benefit would require a huge change to our working patterns. Needless to say, in terms of social change, switching to renewable energy or promoting public transport would be a walk in the park compared to shifting the economy to a two- or three-shift working day.
Verdict: Great for people with flexitime and no kids, absolutely impractical as a wholesale solution.
Your diet
We know that one of the ways that air pollution causes damage to the heart and lungs is through oxidative stress, where tiny molecules called “free radicals” damage the DNA in your cells.
There’s a big debate over whether this process can be combatted with a diet rich in anti-oxidants such as fruit, vegetables, pulses, and grains. So far, we have early studies showing that this is the case – but more research is needed.
We do know that a good diet reduces your risk of obesity, and that being obese is associated with a greater chance of heart attack or stroke. Air pollution kills by exacerbating existing health conditions and helping to cause these life-threatening events. So one of the best things you can do for yourself is to not give it that chance!
Verdict: Staying a healthy weight through good diet is one of the best ways to mitigate the effects of air pollution. As for anti-oxidants, the evidence is unclear, but it’s always worth trying to eat fruit and vegetables.
Your love for wood-burning stoves and fry-ups
Here’s one thing you do have a lot of control over: indoor air pollution. Studies have shown that cooking a fry up can expose you to pollution levels many times worse than what you’ll experience on a busy street.
The good news is that there is an alternative – you can grill your bacon and sausages. This author can confirm that grilled bacon and sausages taste at least 80% as good as the fried kind.
Something else to avoid is the use of a wood-burning stove, which emits particles that can contribute to heart disease, lung cancer, diabetes and dementia. At the very least, try and use one that is less damaging. Here is some guidance from Which? on choosing a good stove.
Verdict: Very effective and easy to change.
The bottom line
The best thing you can do: Ditch the wood-burning stove and grill your bacon
Don’t waste your time with: Air-purifying plants
You’re in a good position if: You have no kids and you can work flexible hours. But surely you knew that already?
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