News

Air pollution worse inside some London classrooms than outside

Whole-school issues
London’s most polluted primary schools are being given access to a new £1 million fund in a bid to make immediate improvements to protect pupils from toxic air inside classrooms. Pete Henshaw reports

An investigation by academics has found that air pollution caused by traffic emissions is worse inside London classrooms than outside.

The study, commissioned by the Mayor of London, found that outdoor nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (PM) pollution – much of it caused by diesel vehicles as well as tyre and brake dust – is infiltrating classrooms, where pupils spend much of their time.

Young children are more vulnerable to airborne pollutants than adults and the report warns that they are breathing in fine particle pollution – PM10 and PM2.5 – at levels higher than the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

For PM10, the report finds that pupils are being exposed to higher levels of pollution inside the classroom than outside.

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