Wood fires produce more particle pollution than traffic exhausts in UK, and controls remain ineffective
Last weekend, air pollution in London reached the top value of 10 on the UK government’s index. Greatest concentrations were measured in the southwestern suburbs. This was London’s worst air pollution since January 2017.
These short episodes of air pollution have an impact. A five-year study of 1.2 million Londoners published in 2021 found a rise in GP respiratory consultations and inhaler prescriptions after short increases in air pollution. This was more pronounced in children and persisted for at least a week.
