What are the UK’s most polluted cities, how bad is air pollution in Port Talbot and London and what are the worst in the world?
London has reduced its air pollution level since 2013 but is still above the recommended limit
MORE than 40 British towns and cities are at or exceed the air pollution limits set by the World Health Organisation.
The report by the environmental watchdog worked out the worst offending places using the latest data from 2015 . We've got the lowdown on who the worst offenders are.
Which UK cities are above the air pollution limit?
According to a report by the World Health Organisation the UK's most polluted cities in order from the worst offenders are:
- Port Talbot
- Scunthorpe
- Salford
- Gibraltar
- Manchester
- Swansea
- Gillingham
- Carlisle
- Chepstow
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Liverpool
- Grays
- Eccles
- Nottingham
- Plymouth
- York
- Prestonpans
- Royal Lemington Spa
- Sandy
- Sheffield
- Stoke-on-Trent
- London
- Hull
- Coventary
- Londonderry
- Middlesbrough
- Norwich
- Southend-On-Sea
- Stockton-On-Tees
- Storrington
- Wigan
Which UK cities are on the air pollution limit?
- Armagh
- Birmingham
- Brighton
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- Eastbourne
- Harlington
- Newcastle
- Newport
- Oxford
- Portsmouth
- Preston
- Saltash
- Southampton
- Stanford-Le-Hope
How bad is air pollution in Port Talbot and London?
Port Talbot has the highest pollution measure in the UK at 18 micrograms of fine air particles per cubic metre.
Despite being the most polluted city in the UK, Port Talbot is only 3mg more pollution recorded that Scunthorpe and Salford.
The Welsh town recorded the same reading as Marseille in France and Singapore.
Whilst London is the 23rd most polluted area in the country measuring 11mg per cubic metre - just 1mg above WHO's safe limit.
But the capital city has dropped from a pollution measurement of 17mg per cubic metre n 2013.
It is now less polluted than other major UK cities including Manchester, Liverpool and Nottingham.
Where are the worst polluted cities in the world?
Whilst the UK may have 47 towns and cities that are above the recommended dirty air limit, they don't reach the levels of some of the world's worst offenders.
Muzaffarpur in India is the world's most polluted city with 197mg per cubic centre metre, whilst Pasakha in Buthan came in second with 150mg.
Delhi in India took third place with 123mg and greater Cairo in Egypt came in fourth with 117mg.
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What are fine air particles?
Fine air particles are a tiny pollutant particle with the formula PM2.5.
The small particles reduce visibility and can cause air to appear hazy when present in high concentrations.
They are used by WHO as a measure of pollution across the globe.
Fine air particles are produced by vehicle exhausts and burning materials such as wood, oil, coal and other natural fuels.
High levels of fine particles can increase health risks as they can affect raise the chances of strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory infections.
They also have short term effects on breathing such as causing coughing, a runny nose and shortness of breath.