High air pollution found at grassroots UK sports facilities

At a time when regular exercise is so crucial to the fight against COVID-19 and part of the government’s strategy to combat the virus, a new report shows that many of us are forced to exercise in dirty air.

Latest data from a study commissioned by the Breathe GB campaign shows dangerous levels of air pollution across our public spaces and sports grounds.

39 out of 78 outdoor sites including public parks, playgrounds and sports fields had average levels of particulate pollution (PM2.5) way over World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines despite lockdown restrictions of vehicles and industry. These levels are continuing to rise and are expected to exceed those recorded in 2019 and highlight how outdoor exercise and sport could be dangerous for both children and adults.  

Popular running routes such as Deansgate in Manchester had monthly levels of PM2.5 over twice the recommended limit between January and June whilst well known sports grounds like Perry Park in Birmingham, the home of the Commonwealth Games in 2022, continues to be one of the most polluted spots in the country.

Merseybank Playing Fields, where a young Marcus Rashford trained in Manchester, reported some of the highest levels of air pollution of the year in England. Even Boris Johnson’s favoured running route around Lambeth Palace in London showed dangerous levels of PM2.5.

Well known outdoor parks like Victoria Park in London, Sutton Park in Birmingham and Roundhay Park in Leeds all registered monthly pollution levels above WHO guidelines at multiple points this year. During lockdown, these parks were recommended for outdoor exercise for residents and their families, yet pollution levels could have actually been making their resilience to COVID-19 worse.

“Physical fitness equals resilience,” said Professor Stephen Holgate, Medical Research Council Clinical Professor of Immunopharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton. “If you lose your ability to exercise you become more vulnerable to a variety of diseases, including infectious diseases like COVID-19.”

Regular moderate exercise has been shown to protect the body against coronavirus by improving the body’s immune response to infection whilst breathing in dirty air increases our risk.

Edie Gill Holder campaigner from the Air Team added: “We know how important physical exercise is for both health and mental wellbeing, particularly for children and at a time when their young lives have seen such upheaval. It is completely unacceptable that vital exercise is threatened by dangerous air quality. Now, more than ever, we need to take this health crisis seriously and adopt WHO safe limits as part of our fight against COVID-19.”

The full report can be viewed here.