Thousands of children in Portsmouth go to schools in 'dangerously polluted' areas

That is according to new research by the British Lung Foundation (BLF) which shows they are among thousands across England in polluted areas.

The charity is calling for stricter laws and a new cross-government air quality minister to protect the public from the effects of toxic air.

Thousands of children in Portsmouth were at risk, with 83 nurseries, schools and colleges identified in areas where levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are above the World Health Organization-recommended limit.

PM2.5 is the most harmful type of air pollution for human health and particularly affects children and people with lung conditions such as asthma, says the BLF.

It can penetrate deep into the lungs and even the blood, increase heart diseases and lung cancer, and leads to thousands of early deaths a year.

Professor Stephen Holgate, medical adviser at the BLF, said: ‘We’ve known about the deadly harm air pollution can cause for decades, it’s time now for urgent action.’

In Havant, 48 education sites are in polluted areas, with 39 in Fareham and 28 in Gosport, the BLF warned.

Traffic fumes are a major source of the pollutant, which can also be produced through industrial emissions and wood burners.

In Portsmouth, a clean air zone is being considered by the city council to tackle air quality around the city centre.

Councillor Suzy Horton, cabinet member for children, families and education, said the authority was attempting to reduce people’s ‘close relationship’ with their cars in a bid to ease pollution.

Speaking of the BLF’s findings, Cllr Horton added: ‘This doesn’t surprise me. We know we have a challenge within the city. We’re all in this together and all need to change our behaviours.

‘Children are at the start of their lives and they have potentially healthy lungs which are being made unhealthy. We need to do whatever we can to make them have healthy futures.’

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Across the south east, 2,427 nurseries, schools and colleges were identified as being in areas where WHO-recommended limits were breached.

These accounted for 28 per cent of more than 8,500 nationally that were deemed to be in highly polluted areas.

Environment minister Rebecca Pow said: ‘Air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010 with emissions of fine particulate matter falling by nine per cent and emissions of nitrogen oxides at their lowest level since records began. However, we know there is more to do.

‘Our landmark Environment Bill will set at least two ambitious legally-binding air quality targets, with a primary focus on reducing exposure to particulate matter pollution.

‘As part of this, we will consider the World Health Organization’s guidelines for PM2.5.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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