Clean Air Day

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Clean Air Day is led by Global Action Plan and is the UK’s largest air pollution campaign. It helps to focus attention on taking collective action to clean up our air, boost public awareness and understanding of the health harms of air pollution, and demonstrate support for clean air.

This year’s campaign is taking place on Thursday 19 June 2025. It aims to highlight that air pollution affects us from before our first breath until our last.

Breathing in polluted air affects our health and costs the NHS and our society billions of pounds each year. Air pollution is recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of heart disease and cancer and can cause a range of health impacts, including effects on lung function, exacerbation of asthma, increases in hospital admissions and mortality.

Air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society, children, the elderly, and those with existing heart and lung conditions. Low-income communities are also disproportionately impacted by poor air quality, exacerbating health and social inequalities.

Clean Air Day is a chance to find out more about air pollution (including some of the easy things we can all do to tackle it), share information with friends and colleagues, and help make the air cleaner and healthier for everyone. Global Action Plan have lots of useful information on air pollution and health on their Clean Air Hub.

This year, for Clean Air Day, East Suffolk Council will be undertaking a number of activities:

Taking part in a webinar for nhs health professionals together with East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Suffolk County Council Public Health and Communities, Colchester Borough Council and Ipswich Borough Council. The webinar will allow discussion surrounding links between air pollution and health and how best to promote this information to patients.
Hosting a stand at Lowestoft Library on Wednesday 18 June from 11am to provide information on air pollution to the public.
Helping to run a stand to provide air pollution information to the public within Ipswich Hospital on Thursday 19 June together with representatives of East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Suffolk County Council Public Health and Communities and Ipswich Borough Council.

If you are able, why don’t you pop in and see us - we would love the chance to talk with you.

What is air pollution and how does it affect our health?

Stuart Keeble, Director of Public Health for Suffolk County Council and Louise, a Primary Care Lead Nurse, explains all.

Personal Air Pollution Calculator

Global Action Plan have devised a personal Air Pollution Calculator for you to work out your individual contribution to air pollution in the UK should you wish, and find out what you can do to reduce emissions and protect your health.

Clean Air Planner

This year, on their website, Global Action Plan also have a Clean Air Planner to help you understand the problem with air pollution, avoid polluted air, and reduce the air pollution you create both indoors and out. Get your personalised clean air action plan, to help reduce your exposure to air pollution.

So what can I do?

The following are some simple ideas we can look at taking to help cut down the pollution we emit;

Drive less – give your car a day off – or even a journey off – walk, cycle or take public transport to work or school if possible.
Walking short trips instead of driving is a great way to reconnect with our local community, breathe cleaner air and get some exercise.
Use quieter streets if possible when you are on your bike or on foot to reduce the pollution you are exposed to.
Work from home more often if your employer allows – challenge your workplace to make this easier for you.
If driving is essential you could look at going electric – hire an electric car or taxi or test drive an electric vehicle to see what it is like.
If you drive - don’t idle – turn off your engine when your vehicle is stationary and it is safe to do so.
Avoid burning household and garden waste – take it to your nearest recycling centre.
Avoid using wood burning stoves and open fires where possible – if it is essential only burn dry well-seasoned wood or smokeless fuel.
Use fragrance free or mild toiletry and cleaning products and use creams instead of sprays where possible.
When decorating, use paints and varnishes that are labelled low volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

The Clean Air Hub contains everything you need to know about air pollution and how we can all make changes to improve air quality.

Anti-idling

One minute of car idling produces enough toxic emissions to fill 60 people’s lungs – switching off engines when parked is a simple way we can help to clean the air we breathe.

Anti-idling events are a great way to engage with drivers, educate them about the impact of idling on local air quality, and encourage them to switch off their engines. Research has shown that idling events can decrease local air pollution levels in that particular area.

East Suffolk Council has engaged with a number of primary schools over the last few years providing assemblies on air pollution for the children followed by an after school anti-idling leafleting campaign.

Indoor Air Quality

The UK population spends up to 90% of its time indoors which means that the air we are most exposed to is inside our buildings. Air pollution inside our buildings can come from many indoor sources, as well as from outside. To help protect your indoor air quality, download and complete the checklist should you wish.

Domestic Burning

Open fires and wood-burning stoves have risen in popularity in recent years, however many people are unaware that smoke from burning causes harmful air pollution.

This leaflet provides simple guidance for those that need to use wood burning stoves or open fires on how to reduce environmental and health impacts, as well as:

Maximising efficiency, meaning you burn less fuel
Reducing the risk of chimney fires
Reducing smoke and carbon monoxide which can be harmful to you and your neighbours

Additional information can be found on our wood burning page.

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