Around six million people over the age of 65 in England are at high risk of lung damage and asthma attacks due to toxic air, according to a new report.
Toxic Air
It was found that the elderly, those with lung diseases, and the most vulnerable to the effects of pollution are often the most exposed.
New document from the British Lung Foundation (BLF) and Asthma Foundation UK.
This comes at a time when MPs are calling on the government to set stricter targets for air pollution.
Improving air quality should be "at the heart of" rebuilding the UK after the pandemic, say members of the House of Commons committee focused on environmental issues.
The new report from two leading UK respiratory charities found that a quarter of all care homes and a third of all GP practices and hospitals in England are located in places where particulate pollution exceeds the limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to the report. the new
This is made up of tiny particles known as PM2.5s that are less than 2.5 micrometers in width - that's one out of four hundredth of a millimeter, or about 3% of the diameter of a human hair.
PM2.5 particles are so small that they can lodge in the lungs and even travel into the bloodstream. There is evidence that it can damage blood vessels and other organs.
Particulate pollution affects us all, but older people are more likely to suffer from lung disease or weakened lungs due to aging.
There are no safe limits for PM2.5s, but the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that concentrations do not exceed 10 micrograms per cubic meter.
The BLF and Asthma UK report used data on PM2.5s collected in 2019. They found black spots of air pollution across the country that affected care homes.
In 36 local authorities, each nursing home is located in areas where PM2.5 levels are above the WHO recommended limits. .
Dr Nick Hopkinson, BLF's medical director, says air pollution is a huge health problem in the UK.
It is estimated that between 30,000 and 40,000 premature deaths each year are caused by exposure to toxic air.
Air pollution also increases a person's chances of developing lung cancer and cardiovascular disease and may be associated with cognitive decline, including dementia.
Dr Hopkinson told BBC News: "We know that the elderly are more vulnerable to exposure to particles and we know that the air quality is worse where the poor live."
It also found 3,000 hospitals and general practitioners' practices in areas where particulate pollution exceeds the levels recommended by the World Health Organization.
The current legal limit for PM2.5 in the UK is twice the WHO recommendation, 20 micrograms per cubic meter.
BLF and Asthma UK are asking the government to reduce this to the 10 micrograms per cubic meter limit recommended by the World Health Organization.
This advice echoed the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee (Efra).
The charities behind the report are also calling on the government to appoint a minister with specific responsibility for improving UK air quality and publish a national health protection plan to protect those most at risk from toxic air.
Kimberly Cole from Eastbourne is one such person.
She suffers from a lung condition called bronchiectasis, which is exacerbated by pollution.
Her lungs are so delicate that she can tell the extent of her pollution by just inhaling the air when she opens the door in the morning.
When the particle counts are high, it irritates its lungs, causing them to produce excess mucus resulting in violent coughing fits that can last for hours.
Sometimes my lungs actually bleed, says Kim. "Sometimes it can be so bad that I am really sick with a cough."
Responding to the report, Environment Minister Rebecca Pau said: “Air pollution has decreased dramatically since 2010, with emissions of fine particulate matter reduced by 9% and emissions of nitrogen oxides at their lowest level since records began.However, we all know there's more to try .
“Our landmark environmental law will set out at least two ambitious, legally binding targets on air quality, with a primary focus on minimizing exposure to particulate pollution. As part of this, we will consider WHO guidelines on PM2.5.
"PHE (Public Health England) also continues to support health professionals to improve our understanding of the links between air pollution and health, including working with the National Institute for Care Excellence to develop guidelines and standards to better protect people at risk from air pollution."
Aleister Lewis, professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of York, welcomed the report's focus on the impact of air pollution on vulnerable communities.
She said the WHO guidelines provided a beneficial focus, but added: "However, it is important to note that the health effects continue to concentrations lower than the WHO guidelines, and so it is always beneficial to reduce PM2.5 concentrations in any way possible."
She said lowering levels in the long term requires a mixture of international, national and local policies.
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