Monday, January 22, 2018

Dying for fresh air


According to figures from Friends of the Earth Scotland (FOES) Glasgow’s Hope Street was yet again ranked Scotland’s most polluted street for nitrogen dioxide but levels have decreased from 65mcg per cubic metre to 58.

The campaign group examined figures for two key pollutants, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and “particulate matter” (small particles including smoke, dust and dirt, some of which can be hazardous). 

Salamander Street in Edinburgh is the worst for particulate matter overtaking Queensferry Road in the capital and Atholl Street in Perth.

FOES described air pollution as a “public health crisis” and blamed it for over 2,500 early deaths every year in Scotland. "Filthy streets continue to poison our lungs nearly a decade after a legal deadline."

Six most polluted streets for particulate matter in 2017
Edinburgh Salamander St - 23
Edinburgh Queensferry Road - 23
Perth Atholl Street - 21
Glasgow Clarence Drive- 19
Edinburgh Glasgow Road - 19
Glasgow Dumbarton Road - 19
Figures in mcg per cubic metre. The Scottish air quality objective is 18 mcg per cubic metre.

Six most polluted streets for Nitrogen Dioxide in 2017

Glasgow's Hope Street - 58
Edinburgh's St John's Road - 50
Glasgow's Dumbarton Road - 43
Dundee's Seagate - 43
Dundee's Lochee Road - 42
Edinburgh's Queensferry Road - 41
Figures in mcg per cubic metre. The European Ambient Air Quality Directive set a limit for NO2 of 40 mcg per cubic metre.





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