Clean air alerts

Residents are being encouraged to sign up for alerts about air pollution levels as part of a national awareness week. Sussex-Air – the county’s air quality partnership – is throwing its support behind the British Lung Foundation’s Breathe Easy Week, which runs from June 12 to June 16, and is urging people to sign up to its airAlert service.

The airAlert service notifies subscribers when the levels of air pollution are expected to be moderate or high, allowing them to be better prepared for activities by taking medication for conditions such as asthma and COPD and limiting exercise.

The partnership also wants to encourage people to use the service to make the most of “clean air” days in Sussex by getting out into the countryside or coast on days when levels of air pollution are low.

Simon Ballard, Sussex Air partnership chairman, said: “Air pollution has many impacts on our bodies and health with new research finding evidence for new affects almost daily. Avoiding exposure to air pollution is an important strategy for minimising its effect on your health, especially for those who are already suffering from respiratory disease.

“airAlert delivers that information to you or to a carer to help you make healthy activity choices or self-manage your condition when pollution is forecast to be high.”

With many towns and cities across the UK suffering from illegal and unsafe pollution levels, Sussex-Air is also encouraging people to make a difference by pledging to leave their car at home on Thursday, June 15 – National Clean Air Day – and consider using public transport, walking or cycling during Breathe Easy Week.

To find out more about airAlerts and to subscribe to the service, visit airAlert Info Sussex.

Air pollution is linked to 40,000 early deaths in the UK every year. Breathe Easy Week raises awareness of lung conditions and helps to fund the British Lung Foundation’s life-changing research and support work.

Find out more: Breathe Easy Week.

Anyone wanting to make a pledge to help reduce air pollution on National Clean Air Day can visit Clean Air Day.

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