I didn’t know that there was an Air Quality monitoring unit in Chiswick, outside the George IV.
The Air Quality Monitoring unit outside George IV
And I didn’t know that the data showed that the average reading for Nitrogen Dioxide, which can lead to reduced lung function, increase asthma in children and contribute to early death was 56 µg/m3, which is more than the EU legal limit and WHO guideline of 40 µg/m3.
Just as bad are the PM1o reading. These small particles less than 10 microns which cause cancer, heart and lung diseases and lead to premature death averaged 27 µg/m3, more than WHO guideline of 20 µg/m3.
Full information can be found at the London Air. Now I don’t want to be alarmist but I would have preferred to have been told this by the council, rather than to have to find it out myself. Also there should be some way of communicated bad air days (worse than bad hair days), so the inhabitants in Chiswick can avoid exercise. If we are going to the expense of collecting this data why not put the information on a board outside the monitoring station?
I have written to the council with a list of suggestions to improve Air Quality, and am hoping to meet with Rob Gibson, Head of Environmental Strategy, when he returns from holiday. Watch the Hounslow Green Party website for the latest information.
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