Air Quality in West Northamptonshire

Report for the week of Guy Fawkes night:

CA-WN is monitoring air quality at several sites across West Northamptonshire. The green graphs show abnormal peaks of particulate matter (PM2.5) density at CA-WN sites during the week of Guy Fawkes night 2022. For reference the blue graph is from the official DEFRA site at Spring Park, Northampton.

PM2.5 is the size of particulate matter (2.5 microns) that when breathed in can pass through the lung’s lining and get circulated with blood to every internal organ. Urgh.

Bonfires and firework displays are very popular. But it’s clear that they create additional air pollution - unlike a drone display (below) that can be commissioned for public entertainment at very much the same cost as a public firework display. Something organisations could consider next time someone suggests ‘Let’s have fireworks’.

Image courtesy of Preetam Choudhury - Creative Commons