What can you do about air pollution

There’s lots that you can do to help us improve air quality as well as to reduce your own daily exposure to pollution, which could lead to health benefits. This is important for everyone’s health as toxic air impacts us all, but especially if you are more vulnerable air pollution through falling into one of these groups:

• People with existing health conditions, such as asthma and heart disease
• Children
• Elderly
• Pregnant women
• Communities in areas of higher pollution, such as close to busy roads

How to reduce your exposure

1. Walk on side streets – avoiding busy roads can help to reduce your exposure to pollution. You can use a Clean Air Journey Planner to find low pollution routes. If you have to walk on a busy road, walk as far away from the roadside as possible.
2. Reduce your car use where possible – did you know that pollution can be up to 12x higher inside your car than outside? Cycle, walk and take public transport instead.
3. Sign up to airText to get local updates on air quality
4. Learn more about air pollution levels in your local area – find out if there is monitoring data near your home . If there isn’t a monitoring station near you, enter your postcode to find an estimate using modelling data.

Breathe Clean Brent

Brent’s Breathe Clean project has been introduced to help reduce exposure to air pollution on journeys to and from school for pupils across the borough and to encourage more pupils to walk to school.

• Plan your healthier walking route on the Breathe Clean Brent website

How to reduce your contribution to pollution

1. Reduce your car use where possible – cycle, walk and take public transport instead
2. Turn off your engine when parked, don’t idle your engine
3. Use an electric car. Find a charge point near you: Map of electric charging points for electric cars UK with ZapMap.
4. Car share
5. Use click and collect or companies that deliver with zero emissions vehicles such as cargo bikes.
6. If you’re a business owner, follow our guidance on becoming greener.
7. Try to reduce burning and make sure you follow the Smoke Control Area rules

How to reduce your exposure while in your home

We spend 90% of our time indoors so it’s important for our health that we try to make the air in our homes as clean as possible. Indoor air pollution comes from many sources and you can’t see it, so you may not realise you’re at risk. Follow these steps to improve the air you’re breathing while at home.

This is of particular importance if you have any respiratory conditions, find more information from Asthma + Lung UK.

Where indoor air pollution comes from

• Heating and cooking
• Mould on walls and windows
• Chemicals in paints, varnishes, chipboard, furniture, carpets and sofas
• Fumes from cleaning products and toiletries
• Wood burning stoves and BBQs.
• Cigarette smoke
• Candles and incense

What you can do

• Open windows and use an extractor fan when cooking and cleaning to ventilate the room
• Use mild, fragrance free cleaning products and toiletries
• Take steps to reduce damp and mould – find out more here
• Decorate with low VOC paints
• Keep dust levels low
• Get your boiler checked annually
• Avoid using chimneys and wood burning stoves. Follow the Smoke Control Area rules.
• Don’t smoke indoors