Why is the air quality bad today?
MAYOR of London, Sadiq Khan, has issued a high alert for air pollution in the capital.
Vulnerable people should take inhalers with them and "avoid physical exertion", said Sadiq Khan.
Why is the air quality bad today?
While many of us are enjoying the UK's heatwave and rushing to sit outside and bask in the sun, with it can come higher pollution levels.
Defra data showed high levels of air pollution in much of the South East of England, especially Essex and Norfolk.
Other places such as Leeds, Sheffield, Kent and Sunderland are also facing high levels of pollution.
High pressure brings the pollutant particles into the UK but the still air means they are not swept away again.
When there is little breeze or wind to clear airborne pollutants away, it means the air quality gets worse.
In heavily populated areas, with a lot of traffic and little greenery, such as London, air quality can quickly deteriorate.
People have been urged to walk, cycle or use public transport to lessen the air pollution.
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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said it is particularly bad at the moment because we are "importing pollution from the continent" as well as local emissions building up.
He said: "Toxic air is extremely dangerous for Londoners - and I'm doing everything in my power to tackle it.
"This is particularly important in order to protect those who are more vulnerable to high pollution."
What is air pollution?
Air pollution is a substance that lingers in the air that has harmful or poisonous effects.
It is a contamination of the air we breathe by pollutants, such as car emissions.
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Thousands die each year in high air pollution boroughs, from issues attributable to the air quality.
Ben Richardson, chief executive of fuel technology experts SulNOx, told the Sun: "Due to their size, fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, may enter the bloodstream and be transported around the body reaching the lungs, heart, brain and other organs."
Air quality is important, he explained, because toxic air conditions could "result in serious health impacts, especially in vulnerable groups of people".
SulNOx are working to reduce air pollution as data shows that over the past seven years "half a million people have died from causes relating to air pollution," said Mr Richardson.
"This is a public health crisis and needs a robust response", he added.
London has been tackling the rising emissions with the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) scheme, which could expand to cover the whole of Greater London by the end of 2023.
Where is the cleanest air in the UK?
The majority of Scotland has good air quality at the moment, as well as Northern Ireland.
Wales has moderate air pollution across the country with low pollution in Anglesey.
In the fight against rising emissions, Brighton and Hove are the cities closest to becoming net zero on carbon emissions per capita, according to research by AlldayPA.
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According to IQ's Air's World Air Quality Report, in 2021 Midlothian, just south of Edinburgh, Scotland had the cleanest air.
English counties of Wiltshire and Berkshire were not far behind but were the only two counties in England to make the top ten list, the rest were in Scotland or Wales.