If your health is good, then the levels of air pollution we usually experience in the UK are unlikely to have any serious short-term effects. However occasionally air pollution levels are greater than normal. It is particularly during these episodes that potential risks increase for those people with asthma, allergies, sensitivity to pollutants, lung diseases, heart conditions or the seriously ill or elderly.

The UK Government has developed an Air Pollution Banding system to help interpret information about air quality and the likely healthy effects. A value of 1 to 3 is low while 10 (the maximum) is very high. The 5-day forecast provided by the County Council uses this system.

For more information see the links on the right. These include: 

'Air pollution: what it means for your health' - A leaflet published by DEFRA with information for those who want to learn more about air pollution levels, those with heart conditions and lung diseases (including asthma, bronchitis and emphysema), and those whose breathing gets worse when air pollution increases.

The Department of Health's page on Air pollution  includes news, health advice and reports from advisory groups and committees.