Install air monitors in schools to examine pollution risk to children – medics

Doctors are calling for air quality monitors to be installed in Scottish schools to see if pollution could be putting youngsters at risk.

Members of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) said that without information being available on air quality within schools, Scotland is “risking our children’s future through lack of data”.

It has now raised the issue with MSPs on Holyrood’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, calling for monitors to initially be placed in all Scottish city primary schools for a period of at least one year.

Once this has been done, the RCPE says monitors should be rolled out to secondary schools in urban areas.

It is making the plea while accepting Scotland “has some of the cleanest air globally, along with some of the more stringent air quality objectives in Europe”.

But in a submission to the committee, made in response to a call for views on air quality issues, it stressed: “We should not be complacent. Areas of significant transport-linked air pollution still exist in and around our city streets.”

The college pointed out that children, as well as older people and those with chronic health problems, are amongst those most susceptible to the effects of air pollution.

It went on to highlight that schools are often located on busy roads or junctions and that “air quality is harmed by the ‘school run’ and idling engines as parents drop off or wait for their children”.

The college said while there is “overwhelming evidence that air pollution harms the health of school children”, “what is missing in Scotland is robust data on air pollutant levels around schools”.

Professor Andrew Elder, RCPE president and co-lead of the working group on air pollution and health, said: “The negative health impacts of air pollution on children include problems with the lung, heart, brain and immune and hormonal systems.

“Furthermore, we are extremely concerned that the country’s least well off children often live in the areas of highest air pollution – this can only exacerbate the pre-existing health inequalities we all want to end.

“Our current understanding of air quality levels at all the country’s primary schools is relatively limited, with 24-hour average level data not being published and many schools simply too far away from networked air quality monitors.

“We consider that robust data is required as a priority so that mitigation measures around schools where air pollution is above guideline levels can be introduced without delay.

“The college hopes that the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee will support our recommendation and press the Scottish Government to help protect children’s health by ensuring Scotland has the most effective air quality monitoring systems in place for our schools.”

Professor Jill Belch, the other co-lead of the working group on air pollution and health and head of the Institute of Cardiovascular Research, argued the matter is also an “issue of inequality”.

She said: “Some of the inner city schools have children from areas of deprivation, where their parents may not have a car, but yet these children are subjected to life-altering poisonous particles and gases.

“Scotland has some of the best air quality laws in Europe, but pockets remain, and we must make sure our children are safe.

“Many city schools are not near current air quality monitors, so how do we know what our children are breathing in?

“The first step is to determine this, the second is to fix air quality where needed. Much can be done once we know there is a problem.

“At present we do not even know, and are risking our children’s future through lack of data.

“It is for this reason we are asking the Parliament’s Net Zero Energy and Transport Committee to consider this initiative.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Improving air quality and in turn the health of our people and planet is an urgent priority for this government and we’re taking action across the board to deliver this.

“The Scottish Government provides guidance to local authorities on the placement of air quality monitoring sites, which are prioritised to cover potential hotspot areas.

“This ensures that any areas of concern will be picked up, including those locations where vulnerable groups may be present, such as schools and hospitals.

“Scotland’s Low Emission Zones will also provide benefits for thousands of people in Scotland’s cities.

“They will reduce harmful emissions significantly and help to deliver air quality objectives.

“That’s an important step forward for the wellbeing of our communities and environment.”