UK air pollution campaign gets underway

The United Kingdom-based Considerate Constructors Scheme has launched its “Spotlight on…air pollution” campaign to help the industry address the effects of poor air quality.

The not-for-profit scheme was acting on the results of a survey of construction firms, which said that 84% of nearly 600 respondents believe there is an issue with air pollution – but fewer than two-thirds feel the industry is doing enough to tackle it.

The survey also revealed:

• 91% said air pollution is a nationwide issue.
• 88% said the importance of minimising air pollution is being communicated to the workforce on their site.
• 62% said their site has appropriate measures in place to address air pollution.
• 56% have a good or detailed understanding of air pollution.
• 39% have an average understanding of the regulations surrounding air pollution.

The national campaign has been launched to help raise awareness and understanding of how the construction industry can address the issue of air pollution from their activities in and around construction sites.

In addition to the devastating effects of air pollution on the health of the workforce - including respiratory illness, asthma, bronchitis and even cancer - there is also a huge economic impact of illnesses, estimated at more than £20 billion (US$ 27.6 billion) every year.

Hosted on the scheme’s Best Practice Hub, the campaign provides a variety of practical steps, case studies, resources and regulatory information.

Considerate Constructors Scheme chief executive Edward Hardy said: “A staggering 40,000 deaths a year are linked to air pollution in the UK, and many people are suffering long-term health problems caused by poor air quality. As construction is a significant contributor to air pollution, it is essential for the industry to put measures in place to clean up our air by working together to reduce our impact on air quality.

“The Scheme’s campaign provides everyone within the industry access to a practical suite of resources including best practice, guidance and case studies from Scheme-registered construction sites, companies and suppliers on how to tackle this issue.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of collaborative efforts to tackle air pollution.”