Safe pollution levels targets are breached in Wakefield

Safe air pollution limits are being breached at a monitoring site in Wakefield, analysis suggests.
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That is according to researchby environmental campaigners Friends of the Earth, which analysed council reports on nitrogen dioxide in the air at monitoring sites across England.

It warns that failing to fix air pollution costs lives, and shows a failure to address the climate crisis.

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The audit found the Leeds Road site in Wakefield recorded an average level of nitrogen dioxide of 41 micrograms per cubic metre of air in 2018, the latest year for which data is available.

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The average must be below 40 to meet government air quality targets, while World Health Organisation guidelines set this as a safe limit to protect public health.

According to Friends of the Earth, road traffic is the leading cause of nitrogen dioxide pollution, which can inflame the lining of the lungs and reduce immunity to infections such as bronchitis. The group’s clean air campaigner Simon Bowens said: “Failing to fix air pollution costs lives. It also shows a failure to address the climate crisis.If ministers want to avoid a return to the health-damaging and illegal levels of air pollution we had before lockdown.”