Air Pollution

How the Pollution team manage air pollution

The London Borough of Hackney has been declared an air quality management area due to levels of Nitrogen Dioxide and Fine Particulates exceeding air quality objectives.

To manage this problem, the Council has produced an action plan to improve and monitor air quality in the borough. Copies of our Air Quality Action Plan, updating and screening assessments and progress reports are available for download (see the links to the right).

Reporting air pollution concerns

If you are worried about air pollution, you can contact us online or by using the details to your right.

What you can do to reduce air pollution:

At home

• Maintain boilers and fires regularly –this will reduce pollution and keep bills down.
• Don’t burn waste – dispose of it properly
• Don’t burn coal – this is an offence, all of Hackney is a smoke control area.

Working

• Consider working from home, teleconferencing and taking other steps that reduce the need to travel.
• Avoid using solvent contaning paints and thinners – these contribute to photochemical smogs.

Transport / out and about

• Cycle, walk, or use public transport
• If you need to use a car, consider joining a car club
• Regularly maintain your car
• Use eco-driving.

Health information and airTEXT

If you are concerned about air pollution, or have a heart or breathing condition, you can sign up to receive free pollution alerts to warn you when air pollution may be elevated in your area.

The airTEXT service alerts you to air pollution and provides advice on steps you can take to reduce its negative health effects.

You can choose to receive the alert by

• text message
• voicemail message to your home phone or
• email.

Messages will be sent either the evening before or the morning of days when elevated air pollution levels are predicted.

For more information or to register, visit the airTEXT website.

See also

• For more information about smoke controls and regulations about chimney height, please see our Clean Air Act controls page.
• Find out more about how Hackney Council deals with industrial air pollution control (Part B authorisation).

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Page updated: 13 Jan 2010