Evotech Air Quality launches Clean Air Schools initiative to mark Clean Air Day

Today, on Clean Air Day 2021, Elland based air quality specialists Evotech Air Quality has officially launched its campaign to monitor and improve the air children breathe, at schools across the Calderdale region. 

In line with this year’s Clean Air Day theme ‘protect our children’s health from air pollution’, the Company is demonstrating how much it cares about building a clean air future for our children. The company is inviting schools to apply to become one of five schools that will benefit from both indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring solutions and specialist advice to improve indoor air quality for students and teachers alike. 

John Lumb, Director of Evotech Air Quality says, “A recent YouGov Survey shows that half of pupils in the UK are worried about air pollution near their schools. As a long-established local business, many of our employees live and work in the Calderdale area and have children who go to school here, therefore this is an issue that is close to our hearts. We believe that every child has the right to breathe clean air, whether at home, at school or at play. 

That’s why, today on Clean Air Day, together with our partners Airthings and Airly, we have launched a campaign to provide five schools in our local region of Calderdale a free air quality monitoring programme for the next academic year, to monitor and improve the air teachers and their pupils are breathing at school. Schools will be alerted when air quality is poor and will be able to remediate any indoor air quality issues with Evotech Air Quality’s professional engineering expertise.” 

Oyvind Birkenes, CEO of Airthings says, “We spend 90% of our time indoors, where the air can be up to five times more polluted than outdoors. For children, a large portion of that time is spent in schools and they are one of the most sensitive groups in regards to air pollution. That's why we are excited to join forces with Evotech on Clean Air Day to monitor and improve air quality in schools across the UK and raise awareness about the effects of poor indoor air.” 

The World Health Organisation and UK Government recognise that air pollution is a major public health risk and poses the single greatest environmental risk to human health. 

Inhaling pollutants can cause and exacerbate health problems, and people with heart or lung disease, children, and older adults are at greatest risk. Annually in the UK, it’s estimated air pollution causes around 40,000 premature deaths, and in 2017 cost the NHS £157 million, and these costs are projected to reach a total of £18.6 billion by 2035, making it an invisible health crisis. 

In addition, studies undertaken during the recent pandemic have shown that air pollution can help viruses travel further in the air, increasing virus transmission risks. 

Wiktor Warchałowski, CEO and co-founder of Airly, who make outdoor air quality monitoring solutions, says, "Accurate monitoring of particulate matter (PM) and dangerous gases like NO2 should become standard for any educational institution. These pollutants have a significant impact on the health and well-being of young students. We are glad that thanks to Evotech’s initiative, schools in Calderdale will join the growing number of institutions that breathe consciously. It is also a great lesson for the entire educational community that with data, knowledge, and expertise, we can have a positive impact on the world we live in." 

Schools from Calderdale that are interested in becoming a Clean Air School can register their interest on the campaign page, www.evotechairquality.co.uk/cleanairschools.  Registration closes at midnight on Friday 2 July 2021 and successful schools will be announced on Thursday 8 July 2021.