Air Pollution: Schools

(asked on 10th October 2016) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many schools in Birmingham are located in areas with pollution higher than World Health Organisation limits.


Answered by
Thérèse Coffey Portrait
Thérèse Coffey
This question was answered on 18th October 2016

Defra does not hold information on schools in the city that are located in areas with pollution higher than World Health Organisation limits. Birmingham City Council is responsible for reviewing and assessing air quality in its area. It declared a city wide Air Quality Management Area in 2005 and an action plan to tackle NO2 was put in place. Birmingham City Council is best placed to provide the information requested.

In 2015 measured concentrations of PM10 in the UK were below EU and WHO limit values. Measured concentrations of PM2.5 were well below the EU limit value of 20µg/m3 but slightly above the WHO value of 10µg/m3 by between 2 and 3µg/m3.

In 2015, Birmingham exceeded the EU limit value for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in and around the city centre. The main source of NO2 emissions is road traffic.

In December 2015, the Government published the national air quality plan for reducing NO2 concentrations through a new programme of Clean Air Zones in five cities in England, including Birmingham. The plan combines targeted local and national measures and continued investment in clean technologies. These measures will also reduce particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations. A public consultation seeking views on the draft Clean Air Zone Framework and on the draft regulation mandating the implementation of Clean Air Zones was published on 13 October 2016.

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