Air Pollution- The Invisible Killer

If you ever feel the need for fresh air, going for a stroll along Putney High Street is not the greatest idea. With alarming levels of air pollution, something as fundamental as breathing could have serious health implications for people in the area.

Chris Greenway weaves through South West London traffic on his bicycle, wearing a black helmet and a turquoise, cube-shaped backpack with the word “Deliveroo” printed on the side. Riding through Putney High Street his mind is focused on little other than getting the food in his back delivered on time, while not being run over by the cars with which he shares the street. A careless moment in traffic could cost him his life. Little does he know another potential killer is nearby, looming in the very air he breathes.

Across the capital, invisible pollution is thought to be responsible for the dithers of up to 9000 people a year but most Londoners remain oblivious to the everyday harm it might be inflicting on them and their families.

“I never really give it much thought,” says Greenway. “But if I think about it, I do get a bit of a cough almost every time I’m working. And my eyes get irritated at times as well. Although to be honest I never imagined it had anything to do with air pollution”.

This threat is particularly acute on Putney High Street. During 2016 pollution along the road breached EU limits a staggering 1,142 times. This year, despite efforts from the Mayor of London and the local council the hourly limit for nitrogen dioxide is still being exceeded several times a day.

It’s an issue Diana McCann, Coordinator of the Wandsworth Green Party, describes to me as “the most pressing public health issue since the smogs of the 1950s.”

“The levels of air pollution in Wandsworth and in London are disgraceful. It is an issue that not only endangers the health and lives of our citizens but one that, if not dealt with properly, may force them to stay indoors. That is not the kind of city anybody wants to live in”

The number of cars driving through the street is alarming, but according to the Head of Communications at Wandsworth Council, Eyvind Ryans, “diesel buses are the primary source” of air pollution in Putney High Street. At peak times more than 100 buses can drive through the street in the space of an hour, creating devastatingly high levels of nitrogen dioxide emissions.

The effects air pollution can have on our health are varied and plentiful. On a short-term basis, exposure to air pollution can lead to pneumonia and bronchitis, as well as irritation to the eyes, throat, nose and skin. Other physical discomforts include dizziness, headaches and nausea.

Not unexpectedly, the health issues don’t improve with long-term exposure — lung cancer, heart disease and respiratory diseases, as well as permanent damage to vital organs such as the brain, kidneys and liver, are all on the alarmingly long list of air pollution effects. Some studies also indicate exposure to air pollutants during pregnancy can cause birth defects.

Luckily, local government is realising some action is necessary to ensure their citizens’ health. In 2016, Wandsworth Borough Council put forth a five-year plan to improve the air quality. The Air Quality Action Plan is in effect until the year 2021, and focuses on five areas of improvement; demonstrating the council’s commitment to improving air quality, communicating about air quality, reducing emissions and exposure, development and buildings, and regulation and monitoring.

However, how effective the communication area of the plan has been thus far should be questioned. Angela Davidson, a mother of two children, who both attend St. Mary’s Primary School in Putney, can’t remember ever being informed about toxic levels of air pollution by the council. “I’ve heard nothing from the council, we’ve received no information about it. All I know is what I’ve seen on the news.”

Not surprisingly, the stories about air pollution on the news did nothing to ease Davidson’s mind. “Naturally, I’m worried about the health of my family. Especially my children. I know they’re outside a lot during the day, and if the air is as toxic as they say… It’s frustrating, really. I know the council is probably doing their part, but when it’s such a huge issue it still feels like they’re not doing enough.”

“I’ve been working for Deliveroo for six months now, and I can’t say I’ve seen any changes in Putney High Street. But then again, I haven’t been paying much attention,” says Greenway. Surprisingly, many Londoners don’t seem to understand how severe the problem is. Air pollution awareness is low, which may be due to the fact that London pollution is less visible than smog in China or India.

Even if they go unnoticed by most, the council has been making improvements to reduce the amount of nitrogen dioxide in the air. “The council installed two pollution monitoring stations on the high street to investigate and expose the problem. If we had not installed them the problem would be undetected,” says Ryans.

The problem, as suspected, was vehicles operating on diesel. After receiving this information, the council introduced a fleet of cleaner buses in the street. They also made improvements to the street layout and introduced traffic signals to ease queuing. Delivery vehicles were also no longer permitted to stop to unload on the high street.

“The steps they are taking towards cleaning up the poisonous air that surrounds us all are far too small for such a vast issue,” says McCann. “We need bigger plans, more funding and a more serious commitment to the problem at hand. At the moment, it does not seem like the Conservative Party wants to ensure people are breathing air that isn’t toxic.”

Whether Wandsworth Council manages to clean up the air in Putney High Street remains to be seen. For now, Chris Greenway will continue delivering food on his bicycle without a protective cycling mask. Angela Davidson will continue sending her children off to school in Putney five days a week. All will breathe potentially harmful chemicals that may in the long term result in serious health issues.

“Politicians can’t ask people to put their lives on hold until they get enough funding to go through with all their projects,” says Davidson. “They just need to get on with their job before it’s too late.”