National Clean Air Day Today, 15 June, marks the UK’s first ever National Clean Air Day which is intended to bring focus to what we can do about air pollution- to both protect our health and reduce air pollution.
What is National Clean Air Day?
Air pollution is real and harms the health of millions. Unlike other risks to our health, lots of people don’t know what causes air pollution, what effects it has on our bodies or how to reduce our exposure to it.
But there are lots of simple things we can to do improve air quality and look after our own and other people’s health.
That’s what National Clean Air Day is all about. It’s a change to find out more about air pollution, share information with your friends and colleagues, and take action to make the air cleaner and healthier for everyone.
What is REHIS doing to tackle air pollution?
Positive action on air quality will only be realised through strong partnership working between Scottish Government, local authorities, and Regional Transport partnerships.
REHIS’s working group Scottish Pollution Control Co-Ordinating Committee (SPCCC), is an example of where working closely with partnership agencies is already in place.
The SPCCC was set up by REHIS and local authorities in 1991 to support and promote consistency and co-ordination of enforcement activity across a wide range of legislative powers tackle pollution matters such as air pollution.
Its remit covers air pollution along with contaminated land, noise pollution and waste management. There are four regional local pollution liaison groups who all feed into the SPCCC. Other notable interested parties come along to SPCCC including; Air Quality Scottish Government representative, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Scottish Transport Emission Partnership (STEP).
These strong multi-agency efforts are necessary to reduce air pollution; as with the stringent values set and with the transboundary nature of air pollution, this issue cannot be tackled alone.
How can you get involved?
REHIS is getting involved by helping spread the word on our Twitter @rehisscotland.
Why not help spread the word on Social Media by using #NationalCleanAirDay to get millions of people talking about it. There is also a National Clean Air Day event on Facebook to promote the day too.
Find out more ways to get involved on National Clean Air Day website. There you will find lots of information on air pollution, what is already being done to tackle air pollution, ways you can take action, and toolkits that can be used to get involved.
