Clean Air Day 2022: a breath of fresh air

Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to our health. It can harm every organ, can shorten our lives, and contribute towards chronic illness. When we breathe polluted air, it can inflame the lining of our lungs and move into our bloodstream ending up in the heart and brain, causing lung disease, heart disease, dementia and strokes. 82% of people believe tackling air pollution should be a priority for the UK. That’s the findings from the Clean Air Day 2021 Celebration and Insights Report. Clean Air Day is the UK's largest air pollution awareness campaign. This year’s Clean Air Day is on the 16th June. It’s the sixth of its kind and since its inception it has grown to become a major event with national news coverage. Half of the UK public have now heard of Clean Air Day, which is a major achievement. Led by Global Action Plan, Clean Air Day aims to improve public understanding of air pollution and how it affects our health, along with identifying the easy actions we can take to tackle air pollution. These include: • Walk or cycle short trips rather than using the car • Avoid using wood burning stoves and open fires • Use non-toxic personal and household cleaning products • Ventilate our homes People are willing to make changes if they understand the reasons. According to the Clean Air Day 2021 Celebration and Insights Report, 64% of people now choose to walk or cycle instead of using a car for short journeys - a 22% increase over five years. Much of the focus on air pollution though is on external air. When you consider we spend 80-90% of our time indoors, are we in danger of side-lining indoor air pollution? Indoor air pollutants Indoor air pollution sources are widespread and vary dramatically from house to house. The leading causes of indoor air pollution are: • Frying meat • Cleaning products • Air fresheners • Outdoor emissions (primarily PM2.4 and NO2) entering our homes In fact, indoor air pollution can be 2-5 times higher than outside. And with 45% of UK homes having raised or dangerous levels of pollutants, the problem is widespread. Educate and inform Our understanding of air pollution, its sources and health impacts, are growing. To find out more, sign up for the free BESA (Building Engineering Services Association) special webinar on the 16th June: Clean Air Day – Building Ventilation on the Front Line. A representative from our Ventilation Climate Division will be sharing their expertise on indoor air quality and how mechanical ventilation systems can support longer term health and well-being. We also need to spread the word. Talk about air pollution to friends, family and colleagues. Domus Ventilation has created several short animations on air pollution which are designed to be shared across social media channels. They are informative, easy to understand and non-promotional. You can access the animations from https://www.linkedin.com/company/domusventilation/ Please share them if you can and help spread the message about the dangers of air pollution.

For more information on Clean Air Day 2022: a breath of fresh air talk to Domus Ventilation Ltd