Child health experts have said families and parents are worryingly unaware of the severe damage air pollution is doing to young people in the UK.
In a survey of leading health professionals, nine in 10 said air pollution was harming children in their areas, and a similar proportion (92%) said the public needed to be better informed about the issue.
Mike Penrose, the executive director of Unicef, which carried out the work with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said UK children were in the grip of a public health emergency.
“Children have a fundamental right to grow up in clean and safe environment that gives them the best possible start in life. The persistent, illegal breaches of air pollution limits across the UK are an unacceptable violation of this,” he said. Penrose said: “The impact of toxic air is undeniable. The UK is home to more children suffering from respiratory conditions than anywhere else in Europe. Every 20 minutes a child experiencing an asthma attack is admitted to hospital. Now child health professionals are warning of the seriousness of this growing health crisis.” Penrose said: “The impact of toxic air is undeniable. The UK is home to more children suffering from respiratory conditions than anywhere else in Europe. Every 20 minutes a child experiencing an asthma attack is admitted to hospital. Now child health professionals are warning of the seriousness of this growing health crisis.”
A Guardian investigation revealed children at more than 2,000 schools and nurseries across England and Wales are being exposed to illegal levels of damaging air pollution from diesel vehicles.
A series of reports have outlined the impact of air pollution – including detrimental effects on teenage mental health, a “huge” reduction in intelligence among children growing up in polluted areas, and a record number of asthma deaths. Last year it emerged that children were absorbing a disproportionate amount of dangerous pollution on their way to and from school and while in the classroom. One school was found to have levels several times over the WHO guidelines for the most damaging particulates inside several of its classrooms.
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