UK neighborhoods exceed WHO PM2.5 limits, Camden worst

New data reveals that nearly every neighborhood in Britain is breathing air with unsafe levels of a dangerous pollutant, with the most severe pollution concentrated in urban centers across the country. Figures from the Geographic Data Service show that 99 percent of neighborhoods exceed the World Health Organization's recommended annual limit for fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5.

The national pollution hotspot is an area in Camden, London, covering parts of Holborn, St. Giles, and Covent Garden. Residents there are exposed to an annual average of nearly 21 micrograms of PM2.5 and more than 34 micrograms of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The WHO recommends levels not exceed five micrograms of PM2.5 and 15 micrograms of NO2. Scientists stress that even these limits are not safe, as pollutants can cause damage at any concentration.

The data also identifies the most polluted area in each region. In Kent, a neighborhood covering parts of Stone and Crossways in Dartford recorded levels of over 17 micrograms of PM2.5. In Essex, parts of Tilbury in Thurrock had nearly 15 micrograms of PM2.5 and more than 29 micrograms of NO2. Bristol was named the most polluted area in the South West,...