Lifting the fog on air pollution

Dirty fuel emissions. Mounting deaths. Calls for something to be done. This sounds like the stuff of mega cities in developing countries or perhaps a Victorian-era London. 

But as you probably know, shockingly, air pollution is one of the most significant challenges facing UK cities, and in particular London, today. 

Air quality in the capital is dangerously poor, with over 8 million people exposed to toxic levels of pollution every day. All too often we hear reports that London has reached the legal limit, but what is actually being done to tackle this?

Toxic air has reached illegal levels in London and other urban areas in the UK since 2010, with around 9,000 premature deaths recorded each year as a result. 

The Mayor of London has introduced a series of initiatives to stand up to this ‘invisible killer’. The T-Charge and the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) are both designed to cut dangerous emissions in central London,  by strongly discouraging vehicles with poor exhaust emissions standards to enter the zone with the introduction of fees.  

Vehicle emissions make up the largest proportion of pollution in the cities. As a waste management company with a fleet of 50 vehicles we take our own impact seriously. That’s why we have invested in three electric vehicles and are upgrading our entire fleet ready to become compliant with ULEZ by Easter 2019.  

In the lead up to Clean Air Day on the 21st June we are launching our next campaign all about air quality. Throughout our campaign we’ll be posting blogs, facts, tips and insightful articles on the subject. We will look at the impact air quality is having on our health and some of the latest innovations in vehicle technology. We will also be profiling some of our fantastic partners who are campaigning to clean up London’s air. 

Look out for our handy guide summarising some of the best information from the campaign, highlighting the key issues we’re faced with when it comes to cleaning up our act on air... 

We hope that you enjoy our campaign. Please get involved in the conversation by tweeting us @PaperRound and using the hashtag #LiftTheFog.