AQESHOW - Abstract

Abstract Information :

In recent years, a link between poor air quality and vulnerability to detrimental health impacts in children has been found, resulting in UK local authorities appreciating that children’s exposure to air pollution in schools needs to be understood and mitigated. However, evidence on pollutant concentrations at schools and the success of potential mitigation strategies has so far been lacking. In particular, there appear to have been few studies on air quality at schools outside of London. To address this, we conducted a preliminary study at a primary school in Ipswich focusing on measuring pollutant concentrations at the façade of the school, adjacent to the road where the children would typically be dropped off and picked up. The purpose of the study was to understand whether implementing a ‘school street’ during drop-off and pick-up times would reduce pollutant concentrations during these times and over an average school day. The study considered nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations, with data collected over the summer holiday, and before and after the ‘school street’ was implemented during term time. The results demonstrated a reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 peaks during the pick-up and drop-off times, resulting in an overall reduction of PM concentrations compared to the before ‘school street' baseline average. There has not yet been a notable change in NO2 concentrations as of yet.