Mayor Sadiq Khan has unveiled a plan to install air filters in 200 London schools, with a straightforward goal: ensuring that children can breathe cleaner air at school. This initiative is more than welcome, considering the well-documented impact of air pollution on health
CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on EPI
While the grim toll of air pollution on health isn’t breaking news, the evidence on how air pollution directly affects educational outcomes is mixed, with certain pollutants from traffic being associated with lower academic performance. However, what’s undeniable is the long-term health implications of exposure to polluted air from a young age.
Recent data reveals:
High and uneven pollution levels: Pollution maps reveal a patchwork of pollution, with the heaviest concentrations smothering central London and major highways.
Who’s meeting the WHO’s standards?: Shockingly, every London school sits in an area where NO2 and PM2.5 levels scoff at WHO’s air quality standards. And as for PM10, 86.4% of schools are also in the danger zone.
Link between deprivation and pollution: An unsettling pattern emerges from the data – schools serving disadvantaged communities bear a heavier pollution burden. More free school meals mean more NO2, with a side of PM10 and PM2.5.
Postcode pollution lottery: Depending on where a school’s postcode falls, pupils might be breathing cleaner or dirtier air.
The Mayor’s initiative to pilot air filters in schools is a step in the right direction to tackle the issue of air pollution. It acknowledges the reality that pollution affects everyone, but not equally. Schools in areas with high traffic, alongside those in economically disadvantaged areas, are at a particular disadvantage. This plan is an important part of a broader strategy needed to address air quality issues across London, aiming for a healthier environment for all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status or where they live.
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