Air Quality News Podcast: Recent Episodes
Air Quality News
The Air Quality News (AQN) Podcast will feature leading figures from the worlds of air quality management
Vortex IOT
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our latest podcast episode focuses on indoor workplace air pollution, and the need for a greater understanding of the dangers this poses, and tighter regulations to safeguard employees.
Produced in partnership with Zehnder Clean Air Solutions, the discussion is led by two industry experts. William Burrows is the company’s North West England and Ireland Project Lead, and regularly undertakes site visits to ascertain air quality in logistics and manufacturing environments, among other sectors, making recommendations on how to improve air flow and protect staff.
Zehnder Clean Air Solutions
Having spent years educating the public on healthy living, Born In Bradford played an instrumental role in securing support for a new Clean Air Zone. Our latest podcast explains how.
In this month’s Air Quality News Podcast we look at an area that is central to the effective implementation of a Clean Air Zone. There are a number of Clean Air Zones operational now, with more in the pipeline. However, community engagement is a key part of getting this right for any Council.
Our interviewee is Professor Rosie McEchan, who is Director of the ‘Born in Bradford’ initiative and she explains how they supported the Council in this important work.
In this episode, editor Chloe Coules speaks to Vincent McInally, Environment and Air Quality Manager at Transport Scotland about the newly introduced Low Emission Zones in four major Scottish cities.
Vincent led on work to develop the Low Emission Zones on behalf of Scottish Ministers. ‘What is really different about the Scottish Low Emission Zones compared with probably anywhere else is that there is no ability to pay and enter,’ explains McInally.
‘If your vehicle is non complaint, you should not be bringing it in. If you do get found within a zone in a non-complaint vehicle and it’s not exempt, you get given a fixed penalty notice and that’s £60 when you first get caught.’
When asked why Transport Scotland has taken a non-charging approach, Vincent tells Chloe: ‘We did not want to see businesses or particularly wealthy individuals looking on this as just a cost they could incur to bring in a high-polluting vehicle.’
Vincent also tells Air Quality News what impact we can expect the Low Emission Zones to have on air quality in Scotland.
‘Nobody expects the low emission zones to be the silver bullet that will do everything, and all the local authorities are aware of that. They are probably the single most important or significant action that any of these local authorities will have taken to reduce pollution since the Clean Air Act came in and they were able to ban the burning of coal in the cities, this will be the single most important measure since then,’ argues McInally.
‘I think it will be as significant as the lead being removed from petrol in terms of the difference we should see with [the Low Emission Zones] being introduced in these cities,’ he adds.
This podcast is brought to you in association with Vortex IOT, who are now part of Marston Holdings. Together, they are offering end-to-end decarbonising solutions that reduce air pollution for their clients. For more information please visit www.vortexiot.com
The latest episode of the Air Quality News Podcast is now live.
In this episode, environmental consultant Stephen Cirell speaks to Ralph Palmer, UK Electric Vehicles & Fleets Officer at Transport & Environment, an EU-wide organisation campaigning for greener transport.
Ralph tells Stephen about Transport & Environment’s research into the roll out of electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK, and they discuss the types of charging infrastructure available and controversy around how much is needed.
Stephen and Ralph also delve into the roles of government, local authorities and the private sector in delivering the roll out of EVs, providing expert analysis of their performance and the obstacles they face in keeping up with EV demand.
Ralph dispels myths around the capacity of the National Grid to handle the EV transition and explains that the infrastructure shifts needed are attainable under current government plans.
This podcast is brought to you in association with Vortex IOT, who are now part of Marston Holdings. Together, they are offering end-to-end decarbonising solutions that reduce air pollution for their clients. For more information please visit www.vortexiot.com
In the first episode of the Air Quality News Podcast, we talk to Kate Langford, Programme Director for our health effects of air pollution programme at Impact on Urban Health.