Clean Air Day, celebrated on 15th June 2023, is the UK’s largest campaign on air pollution. This year, the campaign’s theme is the impact of air pollution on mental health.

There are around 36,000 deaths in the UK every year due to air pollution, with the World Health Organisation and UK Government acknowledging air pollution as the largest environmental health risk faced today.

Oxford Health are part of an NHS mission to become the world’s first health service to commit to reaching carbon net zero, with the aim to be the world’s first net zero national health service. One of the targets is for the NHS Carbon Footprint to reach net zero by 2040.

Sustainability Manager John Upham said: “Clean Air Day is a reminder of the impacts air pollution has on our physical and mental health. 90% of people are doing at least one thing to help reduce outdoor air pollution.

“The Trust are reducing our carbon footprint with new travel initiatives such as trialling electric vehicles (EV), installing EV charging points, growing our green spaces and previously taking part in a research study to monitor the quality of air in Oxford.”

Respiratory and Home Oxygen Service Lead Jo Riley added: “We are aware air pollution is a major problem and so we really need to try and work together to reduce the air pollution because there is no safe level.”

Jo shared some useful tips from the Respiratory and Home Oxygen Service, to reduce the impact of pollution on your health:

• Be more aware of air quality
• If there are warnings of poor air quality stay indoors
• If you are going out for a walk try to stay away from the road networks
• If you are cycling try to use cycle lanes away from major roads
• Where possible avoid being in areas where pollution levels are particularly high

Cleaning up our air is good for us in many ways: it not only benefits our physical health and the environment but can also protect our mental and brain health. The physical health impacts of air pollution – such as asthma, heart disease and cancers – have been recognised for decades. More recently, researchers are beginning to understand how air pollution can affect the brain and the mind.

People who breathe polluted air are more likely to develop mental health and brain conditions. Being exposed to air pollution is linked to mental health and brain conditions such as depression, anxiety and dementia. When a person breathes polluted air, small pollution particles can enter through the lungs, into the blood stream and can reach the brain.

Any reductions in air pollution that we make will lead to health improvements for us and in our local community.

Find out more about the Clean Air Day campaign here.