Published: 09 December 2022
Greater effort is needed to reduce air pollution, says the Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty in his new annual report.
Air pollution in this country has reduced significantly since the 1980s - but it still poses significant health threats including increasing heart disease, stroke, lung disease, cancer and asthma exacerbation. It also leads to increased mortality and is associated with impacts on lung development in children.
Indoors and outdoors
In a bid to further reduce air pollution both indoors and outdoors, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) has set out a range of recommendations for future action, spanning a range of sectors including urban planning, industry and agriculture.
Recommendations on outdoor air pollution include accelerating the electrification of light vehicles and public transport, and innovation to reduce air pollution from non-exhaust sources such as tyres. There is also a need for a greater range of options for reducing air pollution from heavy and specialised vehicles.
According to the report, we spend around 80% of our time indoors, whether for work, study or leisure. Many indoor spaces are public, and people do not have a choice about spending time in them. Despite this, indoor air pollution has been studied less than outdoors. As a result, Professor Chris Whitty recommends increased research into tackling indoor air pollution, including finding ways to reduce sources of indoor air pollution.
Research underway
As the report sets out, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) already funds research designed to understand and reduce the public health risks associated with air pollution. The research portfolio is delivered through long standing National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) programmes. The NIHR is also working with other funders, for example UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) are leading on the Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) Clean Air Programme, which the NIHR is contributing to.
Two rounds of NIHR Health Protection Research Units (HPRUs)1 have been funded since 2014, that are conducting health protection research in a number of areas, including the health impacts of air pollution. NIHR HPRUs are research partnerships between universities and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
In relation to indoor air pollution, researchers at the NIHR HPRU Development Award at the University of Leicester, are working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to provide more evidence on exposure to less well-studied indoor air pollutants. These include carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Research is also underway to better characterise bioaerosols in both indoor and outdoor built environments and investigate associations with health outcomes.
Dr Gail Marzetti, Deputy CEO of the NIHR said: “As Professor Whitty’s report so clearly explains, air pollution impacts us all, wherever we are and whatever we do. It is literally in the air that we breathe.
“Alongside other measures to tackle climate change and address issues of sustainability, reducing air pollution is crucial if we are to save our planet and provide a secure future for our children.
“As the report shows, at the NIHR we are committed to contributing to this vital work.”