Air pollution: Rise in 999 calls for breathing problems. 3 April 2014Last updated at 17:15 ET People with lung and heart problems have been advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activity Forecasters have suggested pollution over parts of the UK could be blown away by "clean Atlantic air" on Friday.
BBC Weather's Peter Gibbs said the pollution had "peaked" and "should go down quite rapidly" in the coming days. Government data showed London and south-east England had the maximum pollution level of 10 on Thursday. The BBC's Rebecca Morelle said there had been a "horrible" mix of dust blown from the Sahara Desert, industrial pollution from Europe and UK pollution. Continue reading the main story Health effects Those with existing lung and heart conditions may find symptoms worsen They should avoid doing too much, especially outdoors Healthy people may experience minor symptoms such as a sore throat or a tickly cough They should avoid strenuous activity in order to reduce such symptoms What will pollution do to us?
'Shoved' away Read more from David. Why living in Chelsea could be deadly. High levels of air pollution can increase the risk to people with respiratory conditions, for example asthma, bronchitis and emphysema, and also contribute to the premature deaths of through heart attacks and lung conditions.
Elderly people are particularly at risk. The European Commission has already launched legal proceedings against Britain over excessive air pollution. Philip Insall, Health Director at sustainable transport charity Sustrans, said: “If the water in our taps were causing this many deaths, the government response would be immediate “So why are we not – as some European cities already do – acting to restrict motor vehicle use in the most polluted areas? It cannot be acceptable that in the 21st century, we are still being poisoned by the toxic gases coming out of our neighbours’ exhaust pipes.” Pollution in the atmosphere is a mix of sea salt, agricultural dust, motor vehicle and industrial emissions.
Townhouses in Onslow Square Kensington and Chelsea (ALAMY) Newham (7.6%) Asian air pollution strengthens Pacific storms. 14 April 2014Last updated at 19:24 ET By Rebecca Morelle Global science correspondent, BBC News A thick haze of pollution envelopes Beijing - but scientists say the toxic air travels much further afield Air pollution in China and other Asian countries is having far-reaching impacts on weather patterns across the Northern Hemisphere, a study suggests.
Researchers have found that pollutants are strengthening storms above the Pacific Ocean, which feeds into weather systems in other parts of the world. Air pollution: High levels 'to spread across England and Wales' 2 April 2014Last updated at 14:28 GMT The pollution has caused a thick layer of dust to form on cars and buildings, as Pallab Ghosh reports People with health problems are being warned to avoid strenuous activity after forecasts that air pollution will reach high levels in parts of England.
Defra issued warnings as high pollution levels were recorded on Tuesday. The pollution - a mix of local and European emissions and dust from the Sahara - is forecast in parts of south England, the Midlands and East Anglia. The elderly and those with lung or heart disease are among those warned against exercising outside. In February, the European Commission launched legal proceedings against the UK for failing to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution. On Wednesday, Defra (the Department for Food, Agriculture & Rural Affairs) admitted it was a "challenge" to meet air pollution targets near busy roads but said air quality had "improved significantly" in recent decades. Analysis. Paris restricts car use after pollution hits high.
Paris smog solution. NASA and urban heat islands. UK air quality. 20 February 2014Last updated at 06:04 ET By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent, BBC News Nitrogen dioxide is a by-product of diesel engines The European Commission has launched legal proceedings against the UK for failing to deal with air pollution.
The EU says that levels of nitrogen dioxide, mainly from diesel engines, are "excessive" in many British cities. The Commission says that this gas can lead to major respiratory illnesses and premature deaths. Britain was supposed to meet EU limits by 2010, but the government admits that London won't achieve this standard until 2025. The UK's problem with dirty air stems from the EU's air pollution directive, which came into force in 2008. It set limits on the the levels of air-borne contaminants, including particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, gases that are produced from the burning of fossil fuels. Continue reading the main story “Start Quote The UK has some of the worst NO2 levels in Europe, they're a national disgrace” Excess gas.