North West cities are among the most polluted in the UK

Salford, Manchester and Liverpool are among the most polluted towns in the UK – according to new research from the World Health Organisation.

The most polluted town in the UK is Port Talbot in South Wales while Salford is joint second with Scunthorpe.

According to the World Health Organisation more than 40 towns in the UK have exceeded air pollution limits.

The report also found that 31 towns  have fine particle air pollution levels above 10 micrograms per cubic metre.

Fine air particle pollution penetrates into the lungs and cardiovascular system and can cause diseases including strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory infections.

Around seven million people die each year from exposure to such pollution, with most of these deaths being in low and middle-income countries, mainly in Asia and Africa.

The world’s most polluted city in 2015, according to the WHO, was Muzaffarpur in India, with a figure of 197 micrograms per cubic metre.

Alison Cook, director of policy at the British Lung Foundation, said: “This report reconfirms that air pollution is one of the leading environmental public health crises in the UK today.

“Action to reduce the toxic particles in the air we breathe can no longer be delayed.”

The worst towns and cities in the UK

Port Talbot: 18 micrograms per cubic metre

Scunthorpe: 15

Salford: 15

Manchester: 13

Swansea: 13

Gillingham: 13

Carlisle: 12

Chepstow: 12

Leeds: 12

Liverpool: 12

 

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