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This is the most advanced interactive map of UK air pollution ever created

A new street-by-street tool allows people to check toxicity of their atmosphere based on postcode, with in-depth details of health risks associated with each pollutant. 

A tool that has been touted as the most advanced street-by-street map of UK air pollution levels has launched, allowing citizens to locate their home and receive a full breakdown of the types of air pollution identified in their area. 

The Address Pollution resource was created by the Central Office of Public Interest (Copi) and Imperial College London, and bases its analysis on recently updated World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on air pollution levels. These include small particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10, alongside nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide. The map uses data from 20,000 monitoring sites in 320 council areas across Britain to produce a 20 metres squared resolution model of national air pollution. 

Open to anyone, users simply need to type their postcode into the map and will receive an overall air pollution rating, including the national percentile their home falls into. They will also find a summary of how many WHO guidelines the street exceeds, and a full breakdown of which pollutants this refers to and a thorough list of health risks associated with these. 

Usefully, there is also a direct link to ‘Demand Action’, which opens a form to add names and email addresses to a petition underway to get property websites and estate agents to give full disclosure of air pollution levels for each listing. It was recently found that 97% of UK properties breach at least one WHO guideline on air pollution

Martin Guttridge-Hewitt
Martin Guttridge-Hewitt is a journalist reporting for Environment Journal, Infotec, and Air Quality News.
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