Air pollutants can enter the body When you breathe in. The pollutants can have effects on the different organs and systems of your body. This includes:
Your eyes, nose and throat
Lungs and respiratory system
Heart and blood vessels – in fact strokes and hardening of the arteries are some of the main effects of air pollution
The 3 main conditions associated with air pollution are respiratory conditions (such as asthma), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and lung cancer.
There is increasing evidence of air pollution having a role in causing asthma, especially in people who live near busy roads, as well as being a trigger that can make symptoms of asthma worse.*
There is strong evidence for the effects of both short and long-term exposures to air pollution on CVD in adults. Air pollution can contribute to the development of CVD and exacerbate existing heart conditions.
There is strong evidence that outdoor air pollution is linked to lung cancer. Despite strong evidence for adults, there is weaker evidence related to effects on children.**
* Find out more: Childhood asthma - Lincolnshire ICB
** The World Health Organization (WHO) reported, in 2005, there was ‘insufficient evidence for ambient air pollution and childhood cancer’.
There are a lot of things that you can do to personally reduce your contributions to air pollution, use the links to find out more about what you can do at home, while travelling and at work.
Opening windows for ventilation and to reduce humidity, as well as using low allergy cleaning products and regularly vacuuming all help to improve your indoor air quality.
Think about walking or cycling more often for short errands. Is it possible to travel by bus for journeys into town, or to travel at quieter times of day so you can avoid idling in traffic?
