In 2019, a study of more than 2,000 schoolchildren in east London showed that those in the most polluted places were growing smaller lungs. This year, an evidence review by the US Health Effects Institute showed strong links between traffic pollution and children’s asthma.
So, should air pollution be a factor in choosing your child’s school? In 2019, 248 pupils were given an air pollution rucksack to wear for a week. As well as space for their belongings it contained a small device to measure what they breathed.
The air at school was not the biggest problem – air pollution on the journey to and from home was worse. Walking along main roads led to the greatest exposure, and the children who travelled by car breathed more air pollution than those who walked along quiet roads. Improving air pollution around schools and encouraging walking along less busy roads could therefore help to reduce children’s air pollution exposure.
