The air we breathe
(around London’s health centres)
Health sites in central London frequently breach legal limits, according to air quality data from King’s College London.
This graphic matches air quality data from KCL’s 2013 model with locations of health centres from the NHS database.
© 2017 BMJ Publishing group Ltd.
Data sources:
Hospital locations: ODS / ONSPD
Air quality model: Kings College, London
Limits:
https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/Air_Quality_Objectives_Update.pdf
Satellite image:
NASA
Data file:
https://bmj.co/hospAirD
596
exceed UK
legal limits*
(60%)
130
exceed UK
legal limits*
(10%)
*Average annual limit = 40µg/m
3
1
2
44
sites in outer
London
995
sites in inner
London
Average levels
This map shows the mean
NO
2
level across each
site’s postcode area.
Principal exacerbations:
Cardiovascular disease
Stroke
Maximum values
This map shows the
maximum NO
2
level within
each site’s postcode area.
Principal exacerbations:
Asthma
COPD
739
exceed UK
legal limits*
(74%)
515
exceed UK
legal limits*
(41%)
1
2
44
sites in outer
London
995
sites in inner
London
*Average annual limit = 40µg/m
3
Major
hospital
Other health
centre
NO
2
µg/m
3
40+
20
30
line 1
line 2
line 3
line 4
NO2
µg/m
3
20
60
40
100
140
180
LEGAL
LIMIT
#2240
of 2239
RANK
Most polluted
Least polluted
61
Average level across sites
Maximum level within sites