Study reveals high levels of air pollution in the homes of Bradford families
Researchers have discovered harmful levels of indoor air pollution in homes, during one of the largest and most detailed indoor air quality investigations to take place in the UK.
High concentrations of fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, were found in some of the homes of 309 families participating in the long-term Born in Bradford health study – with recommended World Health Organisation guidelines exceeded on 41% of all monitored days. Families from deprived areas and ethnic minority backgrounds were found to be facing the highest levels of exposure.
The study led by the INGENIOUS project team, reveals that air pollutant concentrations in homes may have an impact on a series of potentially devastating health conditions and illnesses.
PM2.5 is regarded as a major contributor to premature deaths worldwide and is linked to a wide range of serious health concerns, such as the increased risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks, strokes, respiratory disease such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and potentially dementia and diabetes.
The new research has further highlighted the need for prompt policy action, with the INGENIOUS team now urging the government to fully address what is a frequently overlooked health risk.
A consortium of partner universities and institutions led by the University of York, the group includes representatives from the universities of Cambridge, Manchester and Sheffield, as well as Stockholm Environment Institute, Born in Bradford, and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science – with support from UK Research and Innovation.
The group wants to see a national public awareness campaign to promote the adoption of cleaner air measures and technologies, while also addressing the underlying socioeconomic inequalities that can contribute to high indoor air pollution.
Our findings show that the air quality inside our homes is often far poorer than we assume, and that some communities bear a greater burden than others. Because people spend so much of their lives indoors, these unseen pollutants could pose a serious and often underestimated health risk.
The clear disparities we’ve identified underscore the need for holistic policies that tackle air pollution from every angle – both inside and outside the home. If we can improve indoor air quality, we have a real opportunity to improve the health of families across the UK.
– Professor Jacqui Hamilton, Science Director at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and INGENIOUS research scientist
The study, published in BMC Public Health, found the following key findings:
- Differences in PM2.5 levels between ethnic groups, with South Asian homes found to have higher daily average concentrations than homes of White British and other ethnic groups.
- Homes located in more deprived regions had a higher daily average PM2.5 concentration than those in less deprived regions within the city.
- Higher PM2.5 levels were discovered in rented homes compared to owned homes.
- Levels of PM2.5 were also higher in households where the residents smoked, where the homes were either terraced or semi-detached, and in homes with a gas stove.
The study, titled ‘Inequalities and indoor air pollution: A prospective observational study of particulate matter (PM2.5) levels in 309 UK homes from the Born in Bradford cohort study’, is part of the INGENIOUS (Understanding the sources, transformations and fates of indoor air pollutants) project, led by Professor Nic Carslaw. INGENIOUS aims to help us better understand how the composition and concentration of indoor air pollutants vary and how this exposure affects people in their homes, with a focus on homes in the city of Bradford.