June 2020
Why Is Energy From Waste (EfW) Important?
The UK has seen a lot of development in terms of how we dispose of waste. In recent times, a new generation of Energy from Waste plants had been introduced which are able to fulfill more purposes than just being a disposal-only point. The UK had been dependent on landfills to dispose of residual waste (waste that cannot be reused or recycled), but there are now new methods of disposing of this waste in order to generate usable energy.It's [...]
May 2020
How Can You Reduce Your Exposure To Particulate Matter?
Air pollution is a global public health issue where many areas across the world are seeing concentrations of ambient air pollution exceeding the maximum levels. While effective policies have been established, there is a lot more we can do to reduce both indoor and outdoor air pollution.Those with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions are more prone to the adverse effects of air pollution but it’s an issue that affects everyone. Aside from the standard measures to minimise personal exposure to [...]
How The Spread of COVID-19 May Correlate with Air Pollution
New studies show that there may be a link between higher amounts of air pollution and a wider rate of spread of the coronavirus.In a preliminary study, Italian scientists had detected the coronavirus on particles of air pollution which could suggest that the virus could be carried over some distances. However, this study is preliminary and it is still unknown if the coronavirus is able to cause disease through particulate matter.Particulate matter are tiny particles of pollution that can [...]
April 2020
How Southwark Is Improving Air Quality
London is home to a continuously growing population of more than 10 million residents and air quality is an on-going concern. In order to maintain and improve the outdoor and indoor air quality in the capital, multiple initiatives have been implemented across London to limit the amount of air pollution, such as the ultra-low emission zone. For businesses and schools, they have implemented measures to reduce the amount of indoor air pollution in the buildings. This improves the indoor [...]
February 2020
What Is Energy From Waste?
Historically, the UK had been very dependent on landfills and most of the early incinerators were for disposal only, which only reduces the volume of waste. However, most landfills were unattended and unmanaged which caused land and air pollution to the environment. There are more than ten toxic gases produced from landfills, with methane being one of the most dangerous. Other air pollutants that are emitted from landfills include dust, particulate matter, and other non-chemical contaminants.In order to aim [...]
October 2019
Higher Air Pollution Triggers Cardiac Arrests & Hospitalisations
A recent study released by the King’s College London and UK100 analyses air pollution data from nine major cities in the UK, namely, London, Birmingham, Bristol, Derby, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, and Southampton. This research is due to be published next month and it analyses air pollution and the impacts it has on public health across nine different cities in the UK.The data suggest that on days with higher air pollution levels across the nine major cities, there was [...]
What Is NOx?
Nitrogen oxide (NOx) is a chemical compound of nitrogen and oxygen which forms when reacting with each other at high temperatures, specifically during the combustion process. NOx is mainly created during the combustion of fuel, including gas, oil, diesel, and organic matter.When nitrogen is released during fuel combustion, it combines with oxygen to form nitric oxide (NO). This can then further react with oxygen to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide are commonly referred to together [...]
September 2019
What Is The CAFE Directive?
Clean air is very important to our health, vegetation, ecosystems, and the environment. However, air pollution is a constant problem that is caused by the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere. Since the industrial revolution, the quality of air has significantly declined, primarily caused by human activities. There are many sources of air pollution, including energy production, fossil fuel consumption, traffic on the roads, and various industrial processes.In order to protect our health and the environment, the European Union [...]