Pollutionwatch: not much cheer from online Christmas shopping; The Guardian 10 December
We breathe in up to 130 bits of plastic every dayDaily Mail, 9 December 2017
Article quotes Professor Frank Kelly, Analytical and Environmental Sciences.
London air pollution causing lower birth weights in babies, major study finds London Evening Standard, 6 December 2017
London's polluted air is leading to lower birth weights in babies, a study involving King’s has revealed. The Indian Express also ran a report.
Pollution CNN International (US), 26 November 2017
Interview with Dr Martin Williams, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, regarding pollution.
Green cabs: Is London ready for electric taxis?Guardian, 28 November 2017
Professor Frank Kelly, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, comments.
Air Pollution CNN International (US), 18 November 2017
Professor Martin Williams, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, is interviewed on air pollution in London. Dr Williams commented in a separate interview for CNN on pollution.
China's cleaner air New Scientist, 11 November 2017
China is cleaning up its air, but there is a long way to go. Professor Frank Kelly, Environmental Research Group, comments.
The Progress 1000: London's most influential people 2017 London Evening Standard, 20 October 2017
Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences; Professor Andrew Roberts, War Studies and Professor Stefan Allesch-Taylor, Entrepreneurship Institute are cited in a list of London’s most influential people.
The European cities leading the way in car-free living in a bid to tackle toxic air pollution London Evening Standard, 15 October 2017
Professor Frank Kelly, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, comments.
Mayor wants partial ban on wood-burning stovesGuardian, 30 September 2017
The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has proposed that wood-burning stoves should be banned in some areas to combat air pollution. King’s research is cited. Also reported in:Evening Standard and Huffington Post. Professor Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, was interviewed on this issue on BBC Radio 4 and BBC London 94.9 FM,while Professor Frank Kelly, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, was quoted in an article on London’s air quality in The Times.
How plastic is damaging planet Earth Independent, 29 September 2017
Professor Frank Kelly, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, comments on how plastic impacts the environment.
Dyson commits £2bn to developing electric cars Independent, 27 September 2017
Dyson has confirmed it will launch a battery-powered electric car in 2020. King’s research on air pollution is mentioned. TheMirror also reported on the story.
Professor Martin Williams, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, spoke to BBC London 94.9 FM on Sadiq Khan’s air quality alert issued for London. King’s air quality researchers said Wednesday’s toxic air affecting the capital is being caused by a large high pressure system moving in from Scandinavia, as reported by the London Evening Standard. Also, news that burning wood is set to be banned in some urban areas was reported in the Times, Guardian, Daily Mail and Sun – all referencing King’s research.
Chlorine fears
Andrew Grieve, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, was interviewed on BBC London 94.9FM concerning a suspected chlorine leak in East Sussex. He also commented on BBC Online and BBC Radio Five Live. Dr David Green, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, was interviewed on BBC Radio 4 and BBC London 94.9FM on the same issue. Timothy Baker, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, commented in the Guardian. BBC Radio 4 would report on the issue later in the week, referencing King’s research into ozone levels in the region.
Lucien Freud BBC 1 Fake or Fortune, 13 August 2017
Dr Denise Syndercombe-Court, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, features in a programme trying to uncover whether a portrait may have been one of Lucian Freud's first creations.
London solar auctions aim to make city greenest on Earth Bloomberg, 12 August
Report on the London solar auctions mentions King’s research on air pollution. The Washington Post also reported the story.
Pollution tunnels 'would harm drivers' Times, 4 August
Plans to build "pollution tunnels" over motorways were criticised as a potential health hazard yesterday. Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, comments.
Air Pollution Sky News Sky News with Colin Brazier, 26 July 2017
Interview with Transport Spokesperson of the Green Party of England and Wales, Caroline Russell, discussing air pollution, referring to King's research. The research was also mentioned in an Evening Standard article on London’s ‘T-charge’.
Police investigation seeks help from 9/11 experts to help identify victims of disaster Guardian, 17 July 2017
Police investigating the Grenfell Tower fire have turned to US experts who investigated the remains of the World Trade Center. Previous comments from Dr Denise Syndercombe-Court,Analytical & Environmental Sciences, are referenced.
Wood-burners harm neighbours' healthSunday Times, 16 July 2017
Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, has warned that the use of wood-burners in densely populated areas could lead to an increase in pollution.
The painstaking task of naming Grenfell's victims BBC News, 8 July 2017
Dr Denise Syndercombe-Court, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, comments on the techniques that will be required to identify the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Air Pollution BBC News, 29 June 2017
Air pollution is a huge problem in cities around the world, and it affects the health of millions. Features an interview with Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences. Dr Gary Fuller also appeared in the Daily Mail. The Huffington Post referred to research by the ERG on pollution in London.
'Safe' level of air pollution kills thousands every year Times, 29 June 2017
Thousands of people die each year as a result of breathing air that is officially considered safe, the largest study of its kind has revealed. Article goes on to quote Professor Frank Kelly, Environmental Research Group (ERG).
Westminster council is ramping up its efforts to tackle engine idling with new campaign focusing on taxis and delivery firms City AM, 26 June 2017
Westminster City council is cracking down on pollution, with a new campaign focused on taxi and delivery firms. A King’s report on air quality is mentioned. The Daily Mail also reported on the story.
Illegal levels of toxic air blight 70% of medical centres in central London London Evening Standard, 23 June 2017
Article mentions research conducted by King’s and the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, which looked at levels of pollution around hospitals and health centres.
Plastic to outweigh fish in the sea if waste keeps flowingReuters, 8 June 2017
Feature on Lizzie Carr, who aims to raise awareness on the "global plastic crisis". Includes comments from Dr Stephanie Wright, Analytical & Environmental Sciences.
This 'tree' has the environmental benefits of a forestCNN Edition, 8 June 2017
Article on 'CityTree', a scheme aiming to improve air quality in urban areas. Gary Fuller, Analytical & Environmental Sciences, is quoted.
Air pollutionBBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour 3 June 2017
Discussion on the effects of air pollution on children, featuring Dr Benjamin Barratt, Environmental Research Group (ERG).
Time for the oil industry to snuff out its flares Guardian, 25 May 2017
Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical & Environmental Sciences, writes on the use of flared gas by the energy industry.
Revealed: The real damage that diesel fumes do to lungsDaily Mail, 23 May 2017
Scientists have found a clear link between diesel fumes and respiratory difficulties. Dr Ian Mudway, Analytical & Environmental Sciences, comments.
The entrepreneurs making money out of thin air BBC News, 16 May 2017
Increasing air pollution in the world's cities is leading some companies to compress and sell bottled countryside air online. Dr Benjamin Barratt, Environmental Research Group, quoted.
Pollution from wood-burning stoves BBC Radio 4 You and Yours, 15 May 2017
Are wood burning stoves partly to blame for air pollution? Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical & Environmental Sciences, appears on the programme.
Doctors make plastics plea over cancer fears Mail on Sunday, 14 May 2017
In a letter to the Mail of Sunday, leading scientists including Professor Frank Kelly, Analytical & Environmental Sciences, have called for plastic-free aisles in supermarkets over fears on toxic chemicals leaking into food.
South Bank construction boom sends London air pollution soaringEvening Standard, 8 May 2017
The luxury apartment construction boom on London’s South Bank has resulted in levels of dangerous airborne particles breaking legal limits. Daniel Marsh, ERG, commented.
Experts say the Government's new air quality plan is toothless and weakBuzzFeed, 6 May 2017
Experts have responded to the government's new air quality plan. Dr David Green, Environmental Research Group (ERG), told BuzzFeed News the lack of financial incentives meant the plan was ‘essentially toothless’.
The hidden air pollutants in your home — and how to fight them
Financial Times, 29April 2017
Feature on air pollution in the home. Up to 9,000 Londoners die prematurely per year due to long-term exposure to air pollution, according to a King's study.
Pollution nanoparticles may enter your blood and cause disease New Scientist, 26 April 2017
Article on air pollution and health includes comment from Professor Frank Kelly, ERG. This was also reported by Independent.
Air pollution, our new public health scandal, and what the Government could do to tackle it Independent, 22 April 2017
Article on air pollution includes comment from Professor Frank Kelly, Environmental Research Group (ERG). Professor Kelly also wrote a letter to Times on the UK government’s plans to publish data on air pollution.
How to stop the construction industry choking our citiesGuardian, 20 April 2017
An article looking at diesel emissions on building sites includes comment from Daniel Marsh, ERG, who is project manager for the London Low Emission Construction Partnership.
Does your lifestyle put you at risk from AIR POLLUTION? Our investigation will make you think twice about opening a car window or buying a trendy wood-burning stoveDaily Mail, 17 April 2017
Leading doctors are warning that tiny pollutants in the air - many of them from vehicle emissions - are responsible for 40,000 deaths in Britain every year. Dr Ben Barratt, Environmental Research Group, is quoted.
The death of diesel Guardian, 15 April 2017
A piece on the problems with diesel, with mention of research by King's into the pollution of different fuels.
Air pollution BBC Radio London Vanessa Feltz, 04 April 2017
Sadiq Khan has announced tougher rules on vehicle pollution. Professor Martin Williams, Environmental Research Group (ERG), comments.
Air pollution BBC 1 News and Weather, 03 April 2017
Report on air pollution cites research by King’s which found that pollution in shops can be reduced by up to 30% if the doors are closed. Research from the ERG was also mentioned by CNBC.
Only one person prosecuted in crackdown on chimney pollution Times, 13 March 2017
Commenting on pollution in London, Dr Gary Fuller, ERG, said that during winter about 10 per cent of particle pollution came from wood burning on fires lit for a few hours each evening.
Air pollution BBC 1 London, 08 March 2017
Report on attempts to tackle pollution from the construction industry includes comment from Daniel Marsh, Environmental Research Group (ERG).
Air pollution 6th - 10th March
New figures from the World Health Organisation suggest that air pollution is linked to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of under-fives each year. A group of London boroughs are campaigning against drivers leaving their engines idling outside hospitals and schools. Andrew Grieve, Environmental Research Group (ERG), spoke to BBC1 London News. He said: ‘The bigger message is that it helps people understand the impact of small actions on the larger problem of air quality.’ (02:02) This was also reported by BBC Radio London (05:02) and BBC Radio 5 live (02:02). King’s research by ERG has been mentioned this week by Evening Standard, Daily Mail, and a separate piece for Daily Mail. Dr David Green, ERG, spoke to Guardian about inventions that claim to clean polluted air. Professor Frank Kelly, ERG, commented on air pollution in the alps for BBC News Online. He also spoke to BBC News and BBC London News about air pollution in Dartford, and BBC World Service about the impact of pollution on health. Reuters mentioned research by the ERG in a piece about pollution face masks.
How air pollution harms your health - and how to avoid it Guardian, 20 February 2017
A piece on air pollution which mentions research by King’s. Research was also mentioned by Guardian, BBC Radio London (01:18), Yahoo! News and in a letter in Guardian.
New research to fill vital knowledge gaps in what causes cancer
Professor David Phillips, Division of Analytical & Environmental Sciences along with a team of researchers have received £20 million from Cancer Research UK to fill vital knowledge gaps in the environmental and behavioural causes of cancer. Read more here.
Air Pollution 13th - 17th February
Professor Frank Kelly, Environmental Research Group (ERG), answered readers’ questions as part of a day-longGuardianfeature on urban air pollution around the world. Professor Kelly was also quoted in a Guardianitem offering advice on what to do during an air pollution warning. Professor Martin Williams, ERG, spoke to iabout Britain’s ‘diesel vehicle problem’, and Times reported that King’s researchers were among 300 signatories to a letter urging the government to remove diesel vehicles from the road as soon as possible because they are causing a ‘health emergency’. A Guardianfeature on air pollution experiments on Marylebone Road quotes Dr Gary Fuller, ERG, who describes it as ‘the foremost urban air pollution research lab in the world’. ERG research was also reported by Wired, New Statesman, Bloomberg, Sun and BBC London 94.9 FM.
Air pollution 6th - 12th February
BBC One’s Trust Me, I’m A Doctor, used equipment supplied by King’s to measure the levels of air pollution in London. Dr Ben Barratt, Environmental Research Group (ERG), assessed the results and Professor Frank Kelly, ERG, was interviewed on the health impact of air pollution (20:00). An extract of the show was featured on BBC Radio 5 live (14:13) and discussed in a piece written by the show's presenter for Times. Professor Kelly has also written a piece on air pollution for Financial Times and was quoted in Independent. Dr Ian Mudway, ERG, spoke to VICE UK, Timothy Baker, ERG, was quoted in New Scientist, Dr Gary Fuller, ERG, was quoted in Daily Mail, and ERG research was reported by Sun, The Week, and Economist.
Air pollution 30th January - 5th February
Evening Standard reports that Westminster City Council has announced plans for a new parking surcharge of £2.45 an hour for diesel cars in key parts of the borough. A report last year by the Institute for Public Policy Research, Greenpeace and King’s suggested that 40 per cent of nitrogen dioxide and particulate emissions in London comes from diesel vehicles. Sky News, Sun, and Yahoo! News referred to research by the London Air Quality Network run by King's Environmental Research Group (ERG) when reporting the plans. Professor Frank Kelly, ERG, spoke to BBC Radio 4 Today (07:41) and BBC News Online about air pollution. Daily Mail, Independent, and Evening Standard reported recent findings from ERG. Professor Martin Williams, ERG, spoke to i and Dr Gary Fuller, ERG, spoke to Observer. Dr Fuller also wrote for Guardian.
Air pollution 23rd - 27th January
The first 'very high' pollution alert has been issued in London by Mayor Sadiq Khan. The London Air Quality Network run by the Environmental Research Group (ERG) at King's said the cold, calm and settled conditions over the weekend caused a build-up of local emissions from traffic and wood burning, combined with pollution from the continent. Dr Gary Fuller, ERG, wrote a piece for the Guardian on how the UK’s air pollution problem can be solved. He also spoke to BBC Radio 5 live (06:52). Andrew Grieve, ERG, spoke to Buzzfeed and BBC Breakfast. Timothy Baker, ERG, spoke to the Guardian and New Statesman. Other coverage includes ITV News Online, Financial Times, BBC News Online, Evening Standard, Daily Telegraph, Times, Sky News, Daily Mail, Fox news, Globo, AP, International Business Times, WIRED, CNN, Vice, China Daily and many others. Dr Ian Mudway, ERG, spoke to Observer on ‘Space to Breathe’, a two-day exhibition at Somerset House that is hoping to propel the issue of air pollution and public health into the limelight. The ERG will be hosting workshops there.
Understanding the role of DNA in criminal investigations 25 January 2017
Researchers from King’s working with the European Forensic Genetics Network of Excellence (EUROFORGEN) have launched a guide in partnership with the charity Sense about Science. The guide aims to address misconceptions about DNA analysis and profiling and share exciting new developments in this area. Dr Denise Syndercombe-Court, Reader in Forensic Genetics, and EUROFORGEN researcher, said: ‘We all enjoy a good crime drama and although we understand the difference between fiction and reality, the distinction can often be blurred by overdramatised press reports of real cases.’ She spoke to BBC Radio 4 Today (06:50) about the report.
News: simply cleaning exhausts would be a missed opportunity to build better cities The Guardian, 25 January 2017
Tens of thousands of people die every year from breathing polluted air. The cost of doing nothing far outweighs the price of solving the problem; Dr Gary Fuller writes for the Guardian’s public leaders network on transforming our urban transport.
Concerned Residents Pack Out Meeting, Discussion on air pollution, traffic and health, 19th January 2017
More than 150 members of the local community braved the cold weather on Tuesday evening to hear Professor Frank Kelly, Caroline Russell AM and Ruth Cadbury MP describe the serious impact traffic has on air quality and health. Professor Kelly, a leading environmental health academic, was unequivocal about the relationship between diesel emissions, poor health and premature deaths, stating that ill health from air pollution is the second most common cause of early death after smoking.
Pollution warning as London air quality alerts are issued
Air quality alerts have been issued by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. King's London Air Quality Network (LAQN) forecasted pollution levels to reach ‘high’ levels by Thursday evening with no clearance ‘at least until the weekend’. This was reported by BBC News, City A.M, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Associated Press, ABC, International New York Times, and Washington Post. BBC News Online also mentioned the City Air app, produced by King's and the City of London Corporation, which allows Londoners to see pollution levels on their journeys through the city. In a separate Evening Standard piece, Dr Gary Fuller, Environmental Research Group (ERG), commented on increasing trends seen in those buying homes looking to avoid pollution.
Calls for curbs on traffic after 10 days of smog left 300 dead Times, 12 January 2017
In light of the news that smog during the spring of 2014 in the UK killed 300 people in ten days, there have been calls for restrictions on cars during future periods of high air pollution. Dr Gary Fuller, ERG, said: ‘Elsewhere in Europe cities are developing specific policies to reduce emissions and protect their residents during these periods.’ This was also reported by Daily Mail.
CityAir Time Out, 10 January 2017
King's and the City of London Corporation have developed an app called ‘City Air’, a guide to getting around London in the healthiest way possible by avoiding air pollution.
London exceeds annual pollution limit – just days into 2017
London has already exceeded pollution guidelines for the whole of 2017 just days into the year. Monitoring by the London Air project at King’s showed that levels had been breached by 9pm on Thursday 5th January. This was reported by Metro, ITV News, Evening Standard, BBC News, Guardian, i, Independent, New Scientist, Wired, Times, Daily Express, Daily Mirror, Buzzfeed and CNN.
Cycle masks BBC Radio 4 You & Yours, 06 January 2017
A feature on the benefits of wearing anti-pollution masks in order to prevent respiratory illness. Professor Frank Kelly, Environmental Research Group (ERG), said: ‘I have a worry that if we end up having all our cyclists and people who are on these busy routes protecting themselves individually, it will be less of an incentive for government to actually take the root source of the problem to task.’ (12:51)
Brixton Road becomes first place in London to breach Nitrogen dioxide limits 06 January 2017
Data from the Environmental Research Group (ERG) has shown Brixton Road has become the first place in London to breach objectives for nitrogen dioxide for 2017. Dr Gary Fuller, ERG, said: ‘While public attention will focus on today’s result from Brixton Road, it is important to note that the majority of main roads in London regularly breach legal values for nitrogen dioxide.’ This was also reported by Times.