Monitoring air quality in Hampshire – October 2024
Do you ever think about the air that you’re breathing in your neighbourhood?
Most local authorities record air quality in city centres by busy roads to capture data about peaks in air pollution caused by vehicle pollution. Until recently, the quality of air that we breathe in residential areas, where we spend the majority of our time, has gone under the radar.
Following on from our air quality monitoring article in winter 2022/23, we’ve been involved in a project that has used 17 air quality sensors to record levels of air pollution in neighbourhoods across Hampshire between January 2023 and March 2024.
The sensors measured levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) which is one of the most harmful types of air pollution to human health. They are tiny bits of soot and dust invisible to the human eye. They measure 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter and by comparison, a human hair is about 100 micrometers. They are far too small to be visible and are therefore easily inhaled. This type of air pollution is linked to an increased risk of cancers, heart disease, respiratory disease and dementia. The main sources of PM2.5 air pollution in the UK are domestic solid fuel burning and road transport.
The results of the neighbourhood air quality monitoring were studied by researchers at the University of Southampton1. It was found that annual average PM2.5 levels exceed recommended limits.
In particular, the results showed that air pollution is at its highest during Winter evenings. Air pollution, such as wood smoke, gets trapped in cold, still weather conditions causing unhealthy levels of PM2.5 to build up in neighbourhoods. Sources of air pollution, such as woodsmoke, were shown to worsen air quality both in the immediate neighbourhood and across the region.
The researchers concluded that reducing wood burning in our homes could improve air quality for everyone.
If you currently use a wood burner at home, here are our top tips for reducing air pollution in your neighbourhood.
Burn Less
Reduce burning where possible, keep stoves and firest for special occasions, unless they are your only heating source.
Burn Cleaner
Use fuels such as smokeless, authorised fuels or dry, well-seasoned wood with low moisture content.
Burn Better
Use efficient appliances and follow safe user practices. Service and clean them regularly.
For further information about the hidden harms of wood burning please click here.
NB: (The data from these sensors was supplemented with data from DEFRA’s Automatic Urban and Rural Network and weather date from the Met Office.)