Mayor of London issues high pollution alert
City Hall has triggered a ‘high’ air pollution alert in London tomorrow (Tuesday 12 August) as sunny and hot weather with temperatures above 30C are forecast, which is expected to create ‘High’ ozone levels as the strong and prolonged heat and sunshine reacts with any present pollution.
Imperial College London forecasters advised City Hall to issue the alert, with air flow from mainland Europe expected to increase our ozone levels.
City Hall issues alerts to Londoners, schools and local boroughs when moderate, high or very high air pollution is forecast. High air pollution alerts are also displayed at public locations across London, including all bus stop countdown signs, as well as on the Underground.
The Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban said: “London’s toxic air is responsible for around 4,000 premature deaths in the capital each year, which is why the Mayor has done everything in his power to tackle it, including launching the world’s largest clean air zone.
“We are urging Londoners to look after themselves in this pollution alert during the hot weather, stop their engines idling, and refrain from burning wood or garden waste – all of which contribute to high levels of pollution. This is particularly important in order to protect those who are most vulnerable as we continue working to build a safer and greener London for all.”
Notes to editors
- The moderate and high daily thresholds are based on Defra’s national Daily Air Quality Index (DAQI).
- Ground-level ozone are formed in the atmosphere through complex reactions between pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon monoxide (CO), under the influence of heat and ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight. On Tuesday, 'High' ozone levels are a possibility, as strong sunshine and very high temperatures act on any pollution present during the day.
- In 2016, the Mayor set up a system to warn Londoners about moderate and high pollution episodes. These forecasts are created by Imperial College London, and checked against other public forecasts (airTEXT, Met Office, London Air) to predict when air pollution in the capital will reach moderate, high or very high.
- More information about the alerts can be found here: https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-and-strategies/environment-and-climate-change/pollution-and-air-quality/monitoring-and-predicting-air-pollution