New study confirms air pollution negatively affects children’s test scores

Researchers at Yale University followed 2.8 million North Carolina public school students from 2001 to 2018, measuring their exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5).  

The study revealed that exposure to PM2.5 concentrations between 10 and 14μg/m3 had a negative impact on maths scores and levels exceeding just 8μg/m3 was linked to poor reading performance. 

The current legal limit for PM2.5 in the UK is currently set at 20 μg/m3. In 2021, the World Health Organisation (WHO) updated the limit to 5 μg/m3 as research showed increased risk of mortality when PM2.5 is below the previous WHO limit of 10μg/m3. This means that now, the current UK limit is four times more than the updated level recommended by WHO. 

Much can be done to ensure children breathe clean air in the classroom, from the use of air purification units to the installation of MVHR systems that can also recoup spend on energy and reduce carbon emissions, however, funding is an ever present problem!

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