A decade-long study has highlighted the severe risks posed by air pollution for children in London.
Teams from three universities have been monitoring the health of children in the city since the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was introduced in 2008. They concluded that the air in the city is damaging lungs for life, stunting growth and increasing the likelihood of breathing disorders.
Nitrogen dioxide levels are above EU limits in many areas of London and the lungs of children exposed to this pollution are reduced by around 5%.
Professor Chris Griffiths, a member of the research team from Queen Mary University of London, warned that we are “raising a generation of children with stunted lung capacity”, with that capacity peaking around the age of 18.
“If your lungs are already smaller than they should be as you enter adulthood, then as they decline with age you’ll be at higher risk of an early death,” he said.
Protecting Children’s Health
Schools and colleges have a vital role to play in protecting the health of young people. Regular servicing and maintenance of air conditioning and ventilation systems is one of the most important ways to protect against the growing threat of air pollution in major cities, and to help create a better learning environment.
Earlier this year, research by the University of Cambridge and University College London found air quality inside school classrooms was worse than the outdoors. They assessed a range of schools in London – buildings of different ages, some near roads and others in quieter areas – and the results were similar for each, with pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide higher indoors than outside.
It emphasised the need for better ventilation, particularly in urban areas where children are at greater risk.
And the latest research has shown that although the introduction of the LEZ led to a significant drop in nitrogen dioxide levels where children live, they are still exposed to higher levels at school because they are often near busy roads.
The full study, by King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London and the University of Edinburgh, is available through the Lancet Public Health journal. For more information on how effective ventilation and air conditioning can improve indoor air quality, click below to contact the 361 Servicing team.
