A borough council war on pollution across Erewash means residents are now able to get real time info on the quality of the very air they breathe.
A link on the authority's website enables the public to access a dashboard receiving data from from two monitors providing live feeds from traffic hotspots in Ilkeston and Long Eaton.
A colour-coded chart displays levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulates – which can affect the respiratory system. Nitrogen dioxide is also a greenhouse gas and, alongside other atmospheric pollutants, can cause acid rain.
Traffic is a major cause of nitrogen dioxide pollution – with diesel vehicles the worst offenders. When levels in the air are extremely high people with underlying health conditions such as asthma are most at risk from the gas’s effects.
The good news is that air pollution levels in both towns are usually low to moderate compared to the rest of the UK.
The borough council also measures background pollution at 20 other locations across the borough.
Councillor Mark Alfrey, who is Lead Member for Environment, said: “Erewash Borough Council takes local air quality and the health of our residents very seriously. We undertake air quality monitoring for the main pollutants of concern and our results consistently show Erewash’s air is well within national quality standards – and improving.
“We annually submit approximately 290 nitrogen dioxide samples to an accredited laboratory from over 20 locations – eight of them in Long Eaton and eight in Ilkeston.”
The government has praised the way the borough’s air is getting ever cleaner -- even in areas near the M1. An Environment Department official confirmed: “Air quality within the district is considered good.”
Councillor Alfrey said: “Air quality is a key part of ensuring a sustainable environment, which is one of the council’s priorities.”
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