Air Quality



AIr pollution causes up to 24,000 premature deaths per year. That's more than traffic accidents (3,500).
Source: www.care4air.org



What's in our air?
Our atmosphere has always been polluted. What concerns us today is man-made pollution and the impact it has on us and our surroundings.

The main urban air pollutants:

Pollutant

 Main Sources UK Figures
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) Combustion of motor spirit and other fuel, combustion for domestic heating, power stations, industrial boilers, chemical processes. Road Transport (44%)
Power Stations (21%)
Other Industry (9%)
Sulphur Dioxide Fuel combustion for power stations, domestic heating, industrial boilers, diesel vehicles, waste incinerators. Power Stations (65%)
Other Industry (9%)
Refineries (8%)
Carbon Monoxide Combustion of motor spirit and other combustion processes. Road Transport (69%)
Off-Road Sources (9%)
Domestic (5%)
Ozone Secondary pollutant from chemical reactions with nitrogen oxides and VOCs. See NOx and VOCs
Particulates Fuel combustion for power stations, transport, heating, other industrial processes. Construction mining/Quarrying (13%)
Road Transport (20%)
Power Stations (10%)
Domestic (20%)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Transport, oil combustion, chemical processes, solvent use, waste incinerators. Road Transport (27%)
Solvent Use (27%)
Fossil Fuels (15%)
Production Processes (12%)
Benzene Combustion of motor spirit, evaporation from petrol pumps and fuel tanks. Road Transport (71%)
Lead Combustion of leaded petrol, coal combustion, metal production.  

 

We need clean air - not just for the environment but for our health too!

What are the local authorities doing?
All local authorities in the UK have to assess air quality in their area against a set of Government targets. If these aren't met, the local authority must take action to improve air quality.

Cleaning up our air isn't easy. There is a lot of work happening on a European, national and local level to make sure that pollution doesn't get worse.

Care4Air is a partnership between the four South Yorkshire local authorities and aims to raise awareness of air quality issues to highlight what is happening in the region in order to improve the quality of our air.

See their website for more information.

 

Travel Pledge

Help the council to make a difference to the air quality in Sheffield, by pledging to change how you travel for just one day a week before 16 September.  You will be entered into a free prize draw for a chance to win great prizes.


Find out more information about how you can make your Travel Pledge
http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/schemes-projects/travelpledge

 
Look out for Mr Potato in the town where you live...

More info >>

Why not register for the go travel challenge and take part yourself? Click below to enter!