Air pollution

Air pollution contains a complex mix of tiny particles and gases that can affect your lungs. It can irritate your airways, trigger asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) flare-ups, and increase hospital visits on high pollution days.

As part of your personal action plan, we advise you to take steps to reduce your exposure to air pollution, both indoors and outdoors.

How air pollution affects us

Air pollution advice from Asthma+Lung UK

Asthma+Lung UK is a website that offers useful information for anyone who has been diagnosed with asthma, COPD or another lung condition.

Asthma+Lung UK covers these topics in detail:

• how air pollution affects your lungs
• lowering your risk from air pollution
• how air pollution affects your child's lungs
• air pollution and home allergies
• improving indoor air quality
• air pollution at work.

Use the blue buttons below to find out more on these topics.

Air pollution and asthma

Air pollution is especially harmful if you have asthma.

Around two-thirds of people with asthma say that poor air quality puts them at risk of an asthma attack, and makes their condition worse.

Air pollution can worsen asthma symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, breathlessness and chest-tightness. 

How to lower your risk

Try to follow this guidance to lower your risk.

• Manage your asthma well. If you have a preventer inhaler or a MART inhaler take it every day as prescribed, even if you feel well. 
• Always keep your reliever inhaler with you, so that you can use it to quickly treat asthma symptoms in an emergency.
• Note down your triggers in your asthma management plan.
• See your GP if your symptoms are worsening, or you are using your reliever inhaler more than 3 times a week.

Being outside

• Pollution levels can be higher when the air is still (wind-less). In summer, levels are often high on hot, sunny days. Check daily pollution forecasts by using an app or website such as BBC Weather, Met Office or UK Government's DEFRA. 

• If you can, avoid pollution hotspots like main roads, junctions, bus stations and car parks. Try to use quieter back streets, with lighter traffic, as much as possible.
• Try to go out earlier in the day before pollution levels increase.
• Limit outdoor activities and exercise so you avoid breathing in too much polluted air. Be aware that strenuous exercise increases breathing rate (and therefore the rate at which you may take in pollutants).
• Keep your car windows closed if you’re driving, especially in slow-moving traffic.

More information

Asthma + Lung UK on air pollution and asthma