It’s hard to avoid the impact that air pollution has on the lives of people living in the UK. Statistics from the UK government show that air pollution poses the largest environmental risk to the health of the general public, with the annual mortality of human-made air pollution roughly equivalent to 28,000-36,000 deaths each year. Long-term exposure to air pollution can have a serious impact on your health, including serious chronic and cardiovascular conditions and diseases.
That’s why, now more than ever, it’s vitally important that investments are made into the technology of the future such as air pollution control systems that will help combat air pollution and reduce potential exposure to such harmful toxins. This article will look at some of the innovative solutions that plan to reduce the impact of air pollution.
What are the main causes of air pollution in cities in the UK?
The most prominent contributing factor to air pollution in the UK is the number of cars and other vehicles that are found on the roads. Strides have been taken to lower emissions from certain forms of public transport, such as electric buses, but the sheer number of vehicles on the roads makes it difficult to counteract.
The most common air pollutants are carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and methane. These pollutants come from a wide range of human-made and natural sources. Tackling these and changing long-standing common practices is difficult, but some solutions are proving to have a positive impact across the world.
Vertical residential forests
The first of its kind was built in Milan in 2014. These vertical towers are covered in a wide variety of vegetation that helps to absorb air pollutants from the surrounding city. Vertical towers also provide shelter and refuge for a wide range of insects, birds and other wildlife.
Electric vehicles
In an effort to combat fossil fuel consumption, great strides have been made across the globe to move towards the use of electric vehicles. This can help to lower the number of cars on the roads that are omitting harmful toxins and help to lower greenhouse gases. Many countries already have a large number of vehicles on the roads that run on electricity, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
Air cleaning buildings
Buildings made out of titanium dioxide may be expensive to build but they have been found to have an ability to help to neutralise air pollution and harmful chemicals in the air as the two interact in the presence of light.
Pollution-absorbing street furniture
Currently on the rise all over Europe, CityTree benches not only provide welcome seating in the hustling, bustling city centres but also help to lower air pollution by the addition of vegetation. Moss, hedges and other green plants are adorned on the benches, which not only look great but also help to clean the air around them.
