April 29, 2014

air pollution and health

Thanks to the additional component of Saharan dust we were all recently very aware of the pollution in the air that surrounds us.  But how much is usually there, what is it made of and how does it affect our health?

With the recent publishing of figures from PHE of numbers of deaths attributable to air pollution in different parts of the UK, are we doing enough to reduce pollution levels or do we need to implement stricter long-term measures to make our air cleaner?

Experts came to the SMC to address points such as:

• The recent smog: what happened and why, and how do acute episodes like these affect us?
• The PHE figures of deaths attributable to air pollution: how are these numbers calculated?
• Paris: can temporary measures like traffic bans make a difference?
• How can air pollution affect our respiratory health: acute and chronic effects?
• Are children / foetuses and adults affected differently?
• Does air pollution just exacerbate existing problems or is it associated with new disease?
• What are the different pollutants in city air?
• Where do they come from: traffic versus industry?
• How are levels or air pollution measured?
• EU legislation and WHO guidelines: how is the UK doing?

Speakers:

Prof Frank Kelly, Professor of Environmental Health, King’s College London

Prof Martin Williams, Professor of Air Quality, King’s College London

Prof Jonathan Grigg, Professor of Paediatric Respiratory and Environmental Medicine, QMUL (Queen Mary University of London)

Dr Jeremy Langrish, Clinical Lecturer and Specialty Registrar in Cardiology, University of Edinburgh