I was given an interesting briefing from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) today. Though East Lothian is well placed on air pollution there’s no room for complacency given the effect it has on vulnerable individuals and local hot spots.
The briefing made reference to PM2.5 particles, which are tiny particles in the air that reduce visibility and cause the air to appear hazy when levels are elevated. They can have a severe impact on people’s heart and circulatory health in high levels.
From the briefing: “Although the East Lothian Average does not exceed WHO guideline limits for 2018, many vulnerable people, including those with existing heart and circulatory conditions, are still being exposed to this toxic pollutant. This means that the 14,000 people living with a heart or circulatory condition in East Lothian are at higher risk osf a heart attack or stroke due to poor air quality.”
You can find out more about this issue from the BHF and see the stats for East Lothian here.