Pollutionwatch: how ‘school streets’ cut children’s exposure to toxic air

Children experienced the greatest exposure to toxic air while walking along main roads to school, a study showed. Photograph: Andrew Fox/Alamy

In 2019, a study of more than 2,000 schoolchildren in east London showed that those in the most polluted places were growing smaller lungs. This year, an evidence review by the US Health Effects Institute showed strong links between traffic pollution and children’s asthma.

So, should air pollution be a factor in choosing your child’s school? In 2019, 248 pupils were given an air pollution rucksack to wear for a week. As well as space for their belongings it contained a small device to measure what they breathed.