Air pollution has become the largest environmental risk to to our nation’s health.
The air we breathe is responsible for as many as 40,000 premature deaths each year in the UK.
It has been linked to heart failure, strokes, cancer, dementia and even premature births. More recently, scientists and researchers have discovered that air pollution can affect our mental health, linking it to depression and anxiety.
The term air pollution refers to toxins in the air, which can impact our health in a number of different ways.
These include Ozone; Nitrogen Dioxide; sulphur dioxide; and particulate matter.
This thermal image shows C02 coming out of a car exhaust. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales/FLIR
How air pollution impacts our health:
Tracy Cross from Cardiff has multiple lung conditions.
Credit: ITV Cymru Wales
Joseph Carter from the Healthy Air Cymru said each year they are understanding "more and more about how bad [air pollution] is".
This thermal image shows C02 coming out of a car exhaust. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales/FLIR
Dr Sarah Kotecha from Cardiff University has been researching the links between pollution and infant deaths by using data from the Office of National Statistics and DEFRA.
Dr Kotecha discovered that babies exposed to air pollution are at a greater risk of death.
Dr Kotecha's research is ongoing and has not yet been published or peer reviewed.
Credit: ITV Cymru Wales
How air pollution impacts our environment:
Simon Bareham from Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said "the intensification of agriculture [is] causing local hotspots of ammonia".
Sam Bosanquet, from NRW, said lichens can help prevent flooding. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales
Ammonia is a form of nitrogen pollution, which is damaging plants and organism like lichens.
Lichens soak up around 50% of rainfall in forests. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales
What can be done to stop air pollution:
NRW and the Healthy Air Cymru said they are working with the Welsh Government to find solutions to the problem.
Credit: ITV Cymru Wales
The Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths AM, also said that using public transport more is a good way to reduce air pollution.
Credit: ITV Cymru Wales
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