In England over one million under 18s and nearly three quarters of a million under 12s live in neighbourhoods where air pollution is double recommended health standards. There are 1,737 schools in these areas.
Poorer communities and people of colour are disproportionately exposed to high levels of air pollution despite having lower car ownership. Road traffic is the major threat to clean air.
The situation could be much worse, as latest data - from an analysis of Defra figures by Friends of the Earth - is from 2020, which included lockdowns. The data is for averages in neighbourhoods - not hotspots such as next to busy roads.
The World Health Organisation has recommended average concentration of Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is 10 micrograms per cubic metre, and all of these Birmingham secondary schools in the list are in areas with double that limit. But these are not at illegal levels - the UK legal limit is a far more generous 40 micrograms per cubic metre.
WHO has set a limit of 5mcg/m3 for PM2.5, 15mcg/m3 for PM10, and 10mcg/m3 for NO2. Exposure (for a year or more) to 30mcg of NO2 can lead to a 5.5% increased risk of disease related mortality, meanwhile exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) can cause asthma, promote cancer and reduce lung development.
Birmingham City Council has introduced measures to reduce air pollution in the city centre, with the introduction of the Clean Air Zone (CAZ), which has proven controversial with people being fined erroneously.
The council said it has improved air quality in centaral Birmingham as the number of polluting vehicles entering the city centre has reduced. Four of the schools on our list are within the Clean Air Zone.
Jenny Bates, Friends of the Earth’s air pollution campaigner, said: “It’s a scandal that more than a million children and young people in England live in areas where average air pollution levels are twice World Health Organisation guidelines for either or both of two of the deadliest pollutants.
“Millions of people are suffering the effects of living in the most polluted neighbourhoods – with the most deprived communities and people of colour the hardest hit.
“The new Prime Minister must get to grips with this public health emergency, which kills tens of thousands of people prematurely every year, and costs the economy billions of pounds annually, with a package of measures to clean up our air, including cutting car use.”
Here’s a look at the 17 most polluted secondary schools in Birmingham.
1. Birmingham Metropolitan College, Sutton Coldfield
Birmingham Metropolitan College has recorded 24.46 mcg/m3 of NO2 - the joint highest of any school in Birmingham Photo: Google Street View
2. Birmingham Ormiston Academy, city centre
Birmingham Ormiston Academy has recorded 24.46 mcg/m3 of NO2 - the joint highest in Birmingham
3. Aston Manor Academy, Aston
Aston Manor Academy has recorded 24.09 mcg/m3 of NO2 - the joint 5th highest in Birmingham Photo: Google Street View
4. Titan Aston Academy, Aston
Titon Aston has recorded 24.09 mcg/m3 of NO2 - the joint 5th highest in Birmingham Photo: Google Street View