CUMBERLAND Council is inviting residents and businesses to take part in Clean Air Day (June 15).
The focus will be on combating air pollution and the council will be sharing ways to enhance air quality via its social media channels.
Residents and businesses are asked to help share messages, make their own Clean Air Day pledge, and use the UK’s first personal air pollution calculator to understand how to reduce their air impact.
Use Global Action Plan’s air pollution calculator at https://calculator.cleanairhub.org.uk/.
Cumberland Council monitors air pollution and respond to incidents in accordance with a government programme. The council carries out monthly nitrogen dioxide monitoring across the area and is responsible for promoting and maintaining the area’s good air quality.
Cumberland Council’s Environmental Health Team shares top tips to improve air quality:
- Leave the car on the drive as often as possible, try to walk or cycle to work or school if possible, or use public transport. If you must drive, turn off your engine when you are stationary, and when it’s safe to do so.
- Consider going electric. The availability of electric charging points is ever increasing. Nationally, there has been a huge increase in the registration of electric cars since 2015.
- To improve air quality in your home, ventilate your property, open windows, and use extractor fans when cooking or using cleaning products, but close windows near busy roads during rush hours.
- Consider the products you are using around the house. Use fragrance-free, milder cleaning products and choose paints and varnishes that are labelled as low volatile organic compounds.
- Only burn dry materials, well-seasoned wood or smokeless fuel in your stove, open fire, or BBQ. Wood that is suitable to burn should be marked with the ready to burn logo – this confirms it has a moisture content of 20 per cent or less.
- Only burn authorised fuels in an open fireplace or on exempt appliances. You can be fined up to £300 per offence for non-compliance. Products on the list of Defra exempted appliances can be found on the Defra website: https://smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk/appliances.php
Cllr Bob Kelly, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for climate change policy, said: “We already have plenty to be proud of when it comes to air quality in Cumberland, with our region enjoying some of the best rankings nationally.
“However, it is incredibly important that we keep up the efforts to improve our air quality, and work hard towards ensuring that the air we breathe remains as clean as possible for the health of our residents and the planet.”
Bruce Lawson, Active Cumbria’s Senior Manager (Development), said: “Many people don’t realise that one of the most effective ways to reduce pollution is to make fewer journeys by car. Even if you can’t commit to leaving the car at home every day, why not make a pledge to walk or cycle to school or work on Clean Air Day. It’s a great way to help improve your physical and mental health too.”