Associated Issues
Indoor Air Quality
In general, people spend more time indoors than outdoors. This means that indoor air quality is an important consideration. Factors that affect indoor air quality include:
- Presence of damp and condensation
- Dust levels
- Type of building and decorating materials
- Energy efficiency
- Fuel use
- Smoking
These factors can influence the levels of various pollutants and allergens in the indoor environment.
In Liverpool, there is a high incidence of bronchial illness and asthma and these health problems have been linked to poor indoor air quality. The Environmental Health Service is aiming to establish a scheme that would tackle the possible root causes of poor health and housing in Liverpool.
For further information on indoor air quality, go to the UK Indoor Environments Group website or Inventory of European Research on the Indoor Environment website.
Pollution Episodes
Weather can be a very important factor in the build up of pollutant concentrations in the air.
In summer, ozone pollution can be a significant problem. Elevated levels of ozone can occur in periods of hot, sunny weather. This is because there are ideal conditions for reaction of the pollutants that form ozone in sunlight. Summer smog episodes are mainly experienced in rural areas following long distance transportation of nitrogen dioxide and VOCs released in urban areas from vehicles and industry. These pollutants react together to form ozone over time as they travel downwind of cities.
Winter pollution episodes occur during periods of cold, stable meteorological conditions that lead to pollutants being trapped above where they are released. This means that in cities, concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, particulates and VOCs released largely from vehicles can build up to high levels as they do not disperse.
Pollution episodes can have serious health impacts due the effects of the pollutants involved. People with lung and heart conditions in particular should keep an eye on forecasts for air quality so that they can take measures to reduce their exposure to pollution, for instance by avoiding strenuous outdoor activities or by using a reliever inhaler. It is vital that other members of the public also take action by reducing their impact on pollution during an episode. Advice can be found in the DEFRA information leaflets Air Pollution - what it means for your health and Winter Smog Summer Smog.
Climate Change
The presence of 'greenhouse gases' in the atmosphere makes the Earth warmer than it would be otherwise due to their role in trapping heat energy from the sun within the Earth's atmosphere. This is a natural occurrence but over the last 200 years, human activities have greatly increased the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Many people are concerned that because of this, the Earth's climate is changing significantly with sea level rise, an increased rate of species extinction, and more frequent and severe storms among other effects.
The combustion of fossil fuels in the home, industry and for transport releases carbon dioxide (CO2), as well as the pollutants known to adversely affect the quality of air we breathe. Carbon dioxide is classed as a greenhouse gas due to its role in global warming. If we reduce the amount of fossil fuels we burn, we will both improve air quality by releasing fewer pollutants and reduce our potential impact on climate change by releasing fewer greenhouse gases.
The DEFRA pages Action to Tackle Climate Change explain what is being done at a national and European level as well as what can be done on an individual level. These measures will also lead to a reduction in air pollution with a decline in the release of species such as nitrogen oxides, particulates, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere.
The SafeClimate carbon footprint calculator allows you to determine carbon dioxide emissions from major sources.