Two popular areas in Bracknell exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) pollution limits, according to figures from Kings College London (KCL). 

Central Office of Public Interest (COPI), a new website that reveals the level of air pollution by postcode, uses the KCL data to give the level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in an area. 

NO2 is a toxic gas released when diesel, petrol and gas are burnt. It has been associated with a reduction in lung function and function growth, increases in respiratory symptoms, asthma, cancers, adverse birth outcomes and mortality. 

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The News entered the postcodes for The Lexicon and Lily Hill Park into the websites search bar to determine their levels of pollution. Both were found to exceed the WHO limits for NO2. 

The website has ranked every address in the UK according to its air pollution levels relative to others, by giving it a percentile ranking out of 99. 

The Lexicon is classified as having ‘very high air pollution’ with the address sitting in the 82nd national percentile. 

The reading for N02 there is 19.85mcg/m3 – double the WHO’s recommended limit of 10mcg/m3. 

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Lily Hill Park is even higher in the percentile ranking, placing 84th and it too deemed as an area of ‘very high air pollution.’ 

The reading for N02 at this address is 19.46mcg/m3, which is marginally lower than The Lexicon’s levels but still double the WHO recommended amount. 

Assistant Director for Contract Services, Damian James, said: “Local authorities are legally required to submit an Air Quality Annual Status Report (ASR) to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The overall aim of this document is to report on progress in achieving reductions in concentrations of emissions relating to relevant pollutants below air quality objective levels.  

“Bracknell Forest Council takes air quality very seriously and has been publishing the DEFRA air quality annual status reports for a number of years. Copies of the annual report can be found on the council’s website. 

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“We are not familiar with the website (addresspollution.org) and haven’t been able to confirm how it verifies the accuracy of the data it provides or how often the air quality was tested and checked.  

“The council has been working with the Public Protection Partnership (PPP) to educate schools, businesses and the local community to reduce the impact of air pollution on people’s health.  

“Recently the council has been successful through the PPP, in being awarded £259,000 to fund a project focused on behavioural change for residents who drive in the three boroughs (Bracknell Forest Council, Wokingham Borough Council and West Berkshire Council) by launching an anti-idling campaign.  

“This will see increased monitoring in the boroughs which will allow improved data collection and understanding of air quality levels.”