Dr Gary Haq is a human ecologist at the Stockholm Environment Institute, Environment Department, University of York
A spell of cold, calm weather in the South-East in January led to a build-up of particulates in the air, and the government issued its highest-level pollution warning. Should we, as cyclists, be worried?
The evidence is certainly unsettling. In Europe, air pollution is now responsible for around 467,000 premature deaths each year. Although emission reductions have led to improvements in air quality, they have not been enough to avoid unacceptable damage to human health. Transport, domestic wood fires, industry, power plants, agriculture and waste disposal continue to belch out hazardous amounts of pollutants.
According to the European Environment Agency, 85 per cent of city-dwellers are now exposed to air contaminated with fine…
