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The UK is under a ‘code red’ air pollution alert following Bonfire Night celebrations, which involved thousands of firework displays and bonfires. Specifically, regions including the North West, Merseyside, London, the South East, and Eastern England have reported very high pollution levels, with local authorities advising of potential discomfort from the poor air quality.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has identified several regions, including the North West and London, as experiencing very high air pollution levels following recent events. Public Health England has highlighted that air pollution poses significant health risks, exacerbating chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has updated its air quality monitoring to reflect severe pollution levels, particularly in the North West, London, and the South East, which scored 10/10 on the pollution scale. Public Health England has issued warnings about the health risks associated with this poor air quality, noting it is the “largest environmental risk to public health in the UK.”
What remains unclear — The long-term health impacts of the recent air quality issues due to Bonfire Night festivities have not been detailed by health authorities.
UK issues extreme air pollution alert following Bonfire Night celebrations
Brits have been warned of a ‘code red’ air pollution alert following last week’s Bonfire Night antics.
Across the country, thousands of firework displays — both professional and amateur — dazzled the night sky before, during and after November 5.
Huge bonfires also popped up in towns and cities, created to commemorate the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
However, weather apps have now revealed that the fireworks (which contain an unhealthy concoction of fuels, oxidisers, binders, and metal salts) have had a significantly negative impact on the UK’s air quality.
Bonfires are just as health-compromising; they release toxic gases and chemical pollutants that degrade the air quality and irritate the respiratory system.
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So much so that parts of the country have ranked ‘high’ on air pollution ratings, with people told they may experience ‘discomfort’ due to the conditions.
According to the UK Air Information Resource (DEFRA), a handful of regions are experiencing particularly severe air quality due to the recent festivities.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has updated its UK AIR map to show the extent of the damage, including the aforementioned affected areas.
It reveals that the North West, Merseyside, London, the South East and ‘Eastern England’ scored 10/10, or ‘very high,’ on the pollution scale.
Meanwhile, Yorkshire and Humberside and the East Midlands scored the next highest at 9/10, while the West Midlands sits at 8/10 for pollution.
These scores are accompanied by red or purple colour codes, which equate to the ‘high’ or ‘very high’ pollution levels.
Alongside the Bonfire Night festivities, the Met Office acknowledged that light winds had caused pollution to build up, particularly near busy roads, urban centres and places where dense fog was slow to clear.
Simon Birkett, founder and director of Clean Air London, took to X to warn Brits of the low air quality. He penned yesterday: ‘Widespread EXTREME AIR POLLUTION across UK.
‘People have blasted fireworks into the fog for days to create a deadly smog full of toxic metals, smoke and other particles.’
Meanwhile, Dr Matt Swallow from Asthma + Lung UK cautioned that ‘bonfire smoke, fireworks pollution and chilly air can trigger breathing difficulties.’ He emphasised precautions such as standing away from smoke and following medical advice.
Irrespective of excessive bonfires and fireworks, Public Health England warns that poor air quality is linked to a range of health issues, including being the ‘largest environmental risk to public health in the UK’.
It explains that ‘long-term exposure to air pollution can cause chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as well as lung cancer, leading to reduced life expectancy.’
Over the past 24 hours, it was revealed that Scotland, Wales and the North East of England were the only regions to score on the low end of the scale for air pollution.
In general, these places don’t suffer as much from air pollution due to a combination of geography, lower population density, and reduced transboundary pollution drift. This is when pollution created in one country travels across borders through the air or water and harms the environment or people in another country.