NEWS RELEASES
Mysterious dust deposits
29th March 2007
THERE is a clue to why there have been mysterious dusty deposits left on some local residents’ vehicles overnight earlier this week.
The Council has received a number of enquiries about this happening in the Horsham District and its Public health and Licensing team now has more information about the matter.
The source of these mysterious deposits appears to have been fine dusts from mainland Europe carried to the UK on easterly winds which affected large areas of the South East from the afternoon of Sunday 25 March to Wednesday 28 March.
This resulted in “Moderate” and “High” pollution levels measured by Horsham District Council’s air quality monitoring station in Park Way, Horsham from late on Saturday 24 March peaking on Sunday 25 March and again on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 March. Similar values were measured across other areas of the South East of England.
Horsham District Council’s air quality monitoring station continuously measures air quality in Horsham as part of the Council’s programme of environmental monitoring across the Horsham District.
A slight change in wind direction and a drop in wind speed caused a fall in pollution levels overnight on Sunday. However the light winds resulted in poor dispersal and with the addition of local emissions such as Monday morning traffic, fine particle levels began to rise again.
Fresher cleaner air followed from the middle of the week with a reduction in pollution levels. The Council’s air quality monitor in Horsham was recording “Moderate” pollution levels by Thursday of this week.
Further information about air quality monitoring in the Horsham District is available from Horsham District Council online at http://www.horsham.gov.uk/, by calling 01403 215609 or by email at rod.brown@horsham.gov.uk
Ends
Note to editors:
Health effects: If your health is good, the air pollution we usually get in West Sussex is unlikely to have any serious short term effects. However, people with lung disease or heart conditions are at greater risk, especially if they are elderly. There is little evidence that air pollution itself causes asthma.
However, if you already have asthma, you may find that high levels of air pollution can trigger an attack. The best advice is to take care to protect yourself when pollution levels are higher than normal. Horsham District Council is supporting airALERT message service, a message service which will send asthma sufferers free messages to either a home or mobile telephone, informing the recipient of poor air quality predicted in the area the day before a pollution episode. For further information on airALERT visit the Sussex Air Partnership webpage at www.sussex-air.net/airalert
Residents can obtain the latest air pollution readings for Horsham District via the Horsham District Council website. Alternatively call the Environmental Protection team at Horsham District Council on 01403 215609.
Pollution bandings: Government Pollution Bandings and Index and the Impact on the health of People who are Sensitive to Air Pollution
| Banding | Index | Health Descriptor |
| Low | 1, 2, or 3 | Effects are unlikely to be noticed even by individuals who know they are sensitive to air pollutants |
| Moderate | 4, 5, or 6 | Mild effects, unlikely to require action, may be noticed amongst sensitive individuals. |
| High | 7, 8, or 9 | Significant effects may be noticed by sensitive individuals and action to avoid or reduce these effects may be needed (e.g. reducing exposure by spending less time in polluted areas outdoors). Asthmatics will find that their 'reliever' inhaler is likely to reverse the effects on the lung. |
| Very High | 10 | The effects on sensitive individuals described for 'High' levels of pollution may worsen. |
CONTACT: Richard Morris, Communications Manager
Email: richard.morris@horsham.gov.uk