WORK is underway to install a new network of sensors to increase air quality monitoring outside homes, schools, hospitals and sports centres.
Later in the year, nine-live data will be publicly available online by the West Midlands Combined Authority for people can see how clean the air in their neighbourhood is.
90 sensors will provide a region wide monitoring of microscopic particles given off by wood burners, vehicle tyres and factories which can cause health problems such as asthma, coronary heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.
According to data, each year around 2,300 people in the region die early die to long term exposure to air pollution.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, visited Dudley to see one of the new sensors being installed near to Pegasus Academy.
He said: “On my first day as Mayor, I met a group of schoolchildren who made a powerful case for more action to tackle air pollution to improve their health and protect their futures.
“These new sensors are just the latest tool in our fight against pollution and will give our communities real-world information about the quality of the air they are breathing.
“That information will also tell them the main sources of pollution in their area and what they can do to improve air quality.”
The WMCAwas granted £1.5million of Government funding to boost the air quality monitoring that is already carried out by local councils.
The funding will also support behaviour change campaigns and work to raise awareness about the health impacts of pollution.
The air quality sensors are being supplied, installed and monitored by Earthsense, which specialises in environmental monitoring and modelling of air pollution data to enable both public and private sectors to visualise and manage air quality challenges.
