The lockdown led to a significant drop in some pollutants in the UK’s towns and cities, mainly as a result of less traffic, a new report reveals.
Some urban areas saw a 30 to 40 per cent drop on average in nitrogen oxides (NOx) according to a comprehensive analysis of UK air quality data up to 30 April.
The evidence review, from the Government’s Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG), was led by a University of York academic and informed by research ongoing at the University. Initial conclusions include:
- Significant falls in NO2 in urban areas with working from home reducing travel and exposure more generally in cities. In London, a reduction in exposure to particulate matter (PM5) was predicted, compared to normal, but this depended on factors such as types of commute.
- Unusual meteorological conditions bringing pollution from mainland Europe have led to higher PM5 during lockdown than the average experienced in equivalent calendar periods from previous years.
- Very small amounts of RNA from SARS-CoV-2 have been observed in outdoor particulate matter but it is not yet known whether breathing air outdoors provides a significant route for transmission of live virus or infection.
- Little is known about the impact of lockdown on indoor air quality, since homes are not routinely monitored in the UK. During lockdown increased time spent on household activities such as cooking and cleaning may have increased emissions and concentrations of pollutants such as PM5
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