Last week, lots of reports from a wide area of Priors Road/Saxon & Snoots.
Residents having ‘Dust’ issues, some were having to clean there windowsills twice a day and some were reporting breathing issues.
I do not know where this ‘Dust’ is orginating from..but this issue would come under the remit of Fenland District Council – Environmental Services, and I would encourage anyone having issues to report it to them. Do not collect samples yourself, they have to be done in the correct way.
Some people are suggesting the Particulate Matter(s) are becoming a concern and here in Whittlesey it is not being monitored at this time.
- Particulate Matter (PM) is a mixture of solid and liquid particles that are suspended in the air. These are categorized into coarse, fine and ultrafine. PM2.5 are fine particles that have a diameter less than 2.5 micrometers (more than 100 times thinner than a human hair) and remain suspended in the air for longer durations. The health risk with PM2.5 is that they can travel deep into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs and entering the blood stream.
- PM2.5 is used when describing pollutant levels both outdoor and indoor, where health impact from exposure considers amount of PM2.5 over a 24-hour period. Most studies indicate PM2.5 at or below 12 μg/m3 is considered healthy with little to no risk from exposure. If the level goes to or above 35 μg/m3 during a 24-hour period, the air is considered unhealthy and can cause issues for people with existing breathing issues such as asthma. Prolonged exposure to levels above 50 μg/m3 can lead to serious health issues and premature mortality.
- Exposure to fine particles can also affect lung function and worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. Scientific studies have linked increases in daily PM2.5 exposure with increased respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions, emergency department visits and deaths.
I have taken PM reading around town with a basic PM monitor, this only gives a ‘snapshot’ of readings, for example I had it with me at the Music on The Square event for some 5 hours and the maximum it read was 8 μg/m3
What has been requested is that FDC carry out a proper long term test from fixed sites and try and establish where the dust is coming from?
