Rubber from recycled car tyres is widely used as a soft, durable surface for playgrounds and sports fields but new research suggests that the material may be releasing toxic chemicals into the environment – and smaller particles pose the greatest risk.

UK businesses are set to benefit from a £1 billion package aimed at accelerating the switch to electric vans and trucks, helping firms cut costs, reduce emissions and shield themselves from volatile fuel prices.

Scotland has sustained major reductions in secondhand smoke exposure since introducing smoke-free legislation 20 years ago, but progress has stalled with nearly one in four non-smoking adults still exposed on any given day.

Air quality around the problematic Walleys Quarry has improved dramatically following the site’s closure, with new figures revealing a sharp fall in odour complaints and harmful gas levels after years of disruption for nearby communities.

Air quality forecasts used by regulators might be failing to account for an important piece of the puzzle: the effect of watered farmland.

A leading UK air pollution specialist from the University of Surrey has been selected to join a key government advisory panel responsible for guiding national air quality policy.