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Concern about air pollution

Summary

  • Almost three-quarters of respondents (73%) are concerned or very concerned about air pollution in Portsmouth
  • Respondents are most concerned about the impact of air pollution on children and the environment (both 61%), although at least 54% are concerned about all aspects of air pollution

Impacts on health:

  • The most frequent comments relating to how air pollution affects health focus on breathing and respiratory problems such as asthma and COPD (47%)
  • 19% of respondents feel that air pollution is mainly caused by road traffic and congestion, exacerbated by Portsmouth’s densely populated geography
  • Others talk about the long-term health impacts of poor air quality or other illnesses considered attributable to air pollution such as cancers

How concerned are you about air pollution in Portsmouth?

Base: Total sample (715)

This chart shows:
37% of respondents are very concerned about air pollution in Portsmouth
36% of respondents are concerned
14% of respondents are neutral
6% of respondents are not very concerned
6% of respondents are not at all concerned

What concerns you most about air pollution in Portsmouth?

Base: Total sample (715)

This chart shows that:
61% are most concerned about the impact on the health of children
61% about the Impact of air pollution on the environment
57% about the Impact on the health of people with pre-existing medical conditions
55% about the Cost impacts that ill health from air pollution has on the NHS
55% about the Impact on the health of older people
54% about the Impact on their own health
7% are most concerned about something else
And 14% say Nothing, I am not concerned about air pollution in Portsmouth

Can you tell us more about how air pollution or poor air quality affects your health or the health of others?

Base: All those concerned about the impact of air pollution on health (552)
wdt_ID Key themes %
1 Breathing problems e.g. asthma, breathlessness, COPD, persistent cough, allergies 47
3 Air pollution caused by road traffic and congestion e.g. sheer volume of traffic, engine idling, HGVs, walking alongside busy roads 19
12 Long-term health impacts/physical health conditions and illnesses e.g. cancer, cardiovascular issues, developmental issues in children, dementia, shorter life expectancy 17
13 Not personally affected 8
14 Affects being able to exercise outside or travel around the city 8
15 Unpleasant to smell/taste/breathe pollution in the air 7
16 Generally concerning 5
17 Air pollution caused by ships/ferries 3
18 Notice cleaner air when they go elsewhere 3
19 Particulate matter 2
20 Buildings and surfaces are black with pollution 2
21 Wood burning stoves/fires/BBQs causing air pollution 1
22 Smoking/vaping pollution 1
23 Other e.g. silent killer, contributor to poor mental health, insecticides, noise pollution, water pollution 3
24 Na/no comment/don't know 22

Respondent quotes:

“I’m asthmatic and it is only when I leave the city that I realise how much easier it is to breath elsewhere…I sleep better, run better, feel more energised…when I come home it takes me a couple of weeks to stop wheezing and my body to reaclimatise [sic] to the bad air and I then start to forget that my health could be so much better 🙁  I think I will die earlier than I need to by living here.”

“Lack of clean air particularly on/around main roads has a big impact on those who live in roadside/nearby housing. It’s not something you can control so as well as impacting on physical health it impacts on mental health due to the noise/vibration and increases stress levels.”

“I believe the long-term effects are life shortening. It is very unpleasant to be outside when the air pollution is bad in the city.”

Next

Air pollution in local neighbourhood