'I’m a Birmingham mum-of-eight now living near M5 and I’ve told all of my children to move away'
A mum-of-eight from Birmingham has said she has no choice but to let her children play in toxic air and is urging urgent action to boost air quality. Donna Hart used to live near to Spaghetti Junction – one of Europe’s busiest motorway junctions – when her daughter had severe breathing difficulties as a toddler.
Her daughter Hannah-Louise was only two years old when she had to be rushed by ambulance to Birmingham Children’s Hospital due to suffering severe breathing difficulties. The tot was then put on oxygen for three days and had to stay in hospital for two weeks and
She was later diagnosed with asthma. And Donna has described the levels of pollution as a ‘silent killer’ saying she has to let her children, aged from five to 23, to play in parks blighted in toxic air.
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Donna said: “I have eight children ranging from the age of five to 23 so our local parks are vital for them to get outside and play. During this summer holiday, they have been to the park nearly every day. I do worry about the risks of air pollution around here, especially with Hannah-Louise having asthma, but I also think it’s important for my children to go outdoors and get some exercise.
“I want my children to be active – that’s got to be better than them staying stuck in their bedrooms playing on computers – but it’s not going to be as healthy as it should be if they are breathing in all of that polluted air.
“The fact that 99 per cent of our public playgrounds are affected by toxic air is just not acceptable. Politicians must do more to protect our children urgently - even the smallest improvements in air quality could make a big difference to their health."
Donna did not realise the dangers of vehicle exhaust fumes until she watched a documentary about Ella Kissi-Debrah, who died after an asthma attack in 2013. Following her inquest, Ella became the first person in the UK to have exposure to air pollution listed as a cause of death.
Donna was appalled and fears that the health of Hannah-Louise, and many other children across the UK, is being damaged by unsafe levels of air pollution. She continued: “I can’t believe that we have allowed this to happen, especially given that a child has already died and it’s been acknowledged that something’s got to be done. I could cry just thinking about it.”
The family moved but they now live near to the ‘highly congested’ M5/M6 interchange, near Junction 8 of the M6. “I’m a mum of eight and I’ve told all of my children to move away when they’re older to get away from this air pollution because it’s not healthy for them.
“Air pollution is like an invisible killer. You can’t really see it, you can’t really smell it, but the impact of how it can affect your lungs can be deadly.”
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Asthma + Lung UK, the UK's leading lung charity said Birmingham ranks as one of the most polluted cities in the country, with levels of toxic air almost five times higher than World Health Organisation (WHO) limits for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) one of the ‘most harmful pollutants’. It says levels exceed London and there are more than 24,000 children in Birmingham living with asthma with 585 child admissions to A&E last year.
The charity will be at Moonlit Park in Mosedale Way in the city, as well as playgrounds in London and Manchester, on Thursday (September 12) to highlight the ‘deadly invisible threat’ to children’s lungs. The day of action will see ‘Toxic Air Officers’ stationed at some of the most polluted playgrounds and open spaces in the UK.
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Sarah Sleet, CEO of Asthma + Lung UK, said: “Clean air is not child’s play - the bold action we’re taking today across playgrounds in some of the most polluted parts of the UK is about raising awareness of the everyday exposure to air pollution and its impact on children’s developing lungs.
“Sadly, it is children who are affected the most by poor air quality, with the damage starting even when they are in the womb. From diabetes to dementia, the list of health impacts associated with our everyday exposure to air pollution grows ever longer. The UK has the worst records for deaths from lung disease in Europe, and it’s no coincidence that we also have one of the highest rates of childhood asthma here too.
“No government would allow people to drink dirty water, so why should the air we breathe be any different? The government needs to introduce bold targets to address this issue that has life-long impacts on the health of so many millions of children.”
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Asthma + Lung UK says new data from Ordnance Survey Open Greenspace shows there are more than 43,000 playgrounds in Britain, with 99 per cent exceeding WHO recommended limits on air pollution. It says air pollution ‘stunts lung growth, with children particularly vulnerable due to their smaller, still-developing airways’. They also breathe more rapidly than adults, meaning they take in more polluted air.
It also said air pollution is ‘increasingly linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia. It contributes to hundreds of premature deaths in Birmingham annually’ according to University fo Birmingham 2023 data.
The charity is calling on the government to commit to ‘bold new clean-air legislation’ And is asking people to show support here https://action.asthmaandlung.org.uk/page/155587/petition/1 for their campaign to protect people from air pollution, improve public information on the issue, set out findings and guidance for traffic reduction measures in key areas (around care homes, schools and hospitals) and commit to inclusive walking and cycling policies.
Top tips on reducing exposure to toxic air pollution:
1. Limit outdoor activities and exercises to avoid breathing in too much polluted air
2. Go out earlier in the day when air quality tends to be better
3. Stay on quieter streets, avoiding high-traffic areas, where possible
4. Walk on the inside of the pavement, further from the passing traffic
5. Keep your car windows closed, particularly when in slow-moving traffic
6. Check pollution levels in your area at.Defra’s five-day pollution forecast.