Chris Rush, IAQM Chair

Prof. Sir Stephen Holgate, Clinical Professor of Immunopharmacology, University of Southampton; UKRI Clean Air Champion; and Special Advisor to the RCP on Air Quality 

Abstract

On Clean Air Day, the RCP launched its air pollution Report A Breath of Fresh Air in response to the overwhelming evidence of wide-ranging damage to health. Key points included: importance of the systemic burden of pollutants affecting all human organs, effects on disease occur across a lifetime, indoor air as an under-recognised source of emissions, huge economic consequences from resulting poor health and the hidden role of inequalities/inequities in magnifying effects.  The report sets out 19 recommendations aimed national, regional and local governments across the UK, industry, regulators, the NHS, clinicians, and individuals in society. Put simply, there is no safe level of air pollution, and increasingly ambitious action needs to be taken to improve air quality across the country to improve the health of our population. To achieve this, we need to work together towards a Public Health Campaign focussed on cleaner air for the benefit of all.

Dr. Abigail Whitehouse, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Children’s Environmental Health and Honorary Paediatric Respiratory Consultant, Queen Mary University of London and Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust

Abstract
Air pollution is a major but unevenly distributed threat to children’s health. In this talk, I will share how frontline experiences in urban communities are helping shape a more equitable response to air quality. Drawing from the UK’s first Children’s Environmental Health Clinic, I will explore how families, schools, and local stakeholders are working together to identify and reduce environmental risks where children live, learn, and play. We will consider how lived experience, citizen science, and community-led communication can build pressure for policy change, from improving school environments to influencing transport and housing decisions. The talk will emphasise the importance of integrating children’s voices and data into clean air discussions, and how connecting research, policy, and public engagement is vital to addressing the structural inequalities that underpin environmental health. Clean air must be seen as a basic right, not a privilege—especially for the youngest and most vulnerable in society. 

Dr. Ian Mudway, Associate Professor in Environmental Toxicology, Imperial College London & Gresham College Visiting Professor of Environmental Health
Abstract

The established narrative on air quality has long focused on well-understood pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, ozone and particulate matter. However, our atmospheric environment is increasingly characterized by novel airborne contaminants that demand closer scrutiny. This presentation will address these emerging chemicals of concern, microplastics, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances,  Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the broad range of Volatile Organic Compounds and Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds identified in both outdoor and indoor air.  

The talk will explore the complexities involved in evaluating whether these newly identified chemicals, often present in complex mixtures, pose a significant hazard or risk to the population. Understanding these nuances is paramount for developing effective strategies to protect public health from an evolving spectrum of airborne threats, and preventing distorted public discourse based on poor reporting of often very preliminary findings. 

Prof. Frank Kelly CBE, Professor of Community Health and Policy, Imperial College London

Abstract
Children growing up in the UK today represent an ‘indoor child generation’, with most of their activities taking place primarily in homes and schools, with chemically diverse environments.  Despite its importance in human exposure terms, links between indoor air quality and public health is an under-researched area, with greater emphasis placed on outdoor air quality. Working in partnership with our local community, we are focusing on the quality of air inside and outside homes with an asthmatic child selected from across the social spectrum. Engagement activities were conducted with the local community to raise awareness of air pollution and its impacts on health. Collaboratively, a sampling methodology was developed with input from recruited families, to measure a range of pollutants at a high time resolution in kitchens, child bedrooms, and living rooms across 100 households over two seasonal 28-day periods.  Our intensive monitoring approach, linking toxicological assessments of chemical and biological pollutants with individual activity and health data, aims to identify triggers for worsening of their condition and thus improve quality of life. 

Dr. Douglas Booker, Lecturer in Indoor Air, University of Leeds

Abstract

The UK building stock is undergoing an unprecedented transformation to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and meet climate change mitigation targets. However, minimal attention is being paid to the impact of such a radical change on Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), physical and mental health and wellbeing, and equity. High profile tragedies, including the death of Awaab Ishak in the UK, a toddler who died resulting from mould exposure in social housing, has raised the profile of claims of environmental injustice related to poor quality indoor environments. This alongside existing evidence of unequal distributions of PM2.51, and damp and mould2, raise questions for how the retrofit of the UK buildings will change existing patterns of inequality. In this presentation, using a multidimensional environmental justice lens3, I will draw on work as part of the CHILI Hub, Healthy Homes Born in Bradford Study, and the HESTIA Network to outline some key considerations for how the retrofit of UK buildings might align health, environmental, and justice co-benefits. 

1. Ferguson, L. et al. Systemic inequalities in indoor air pollution exposure in London, UK. Buildings and Cities 2, 425–448 (2021).
2. DLUHC, DHSC, & UKHSA. Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home. Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, Department of Health & Social Care, and UK Health Security Agency https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/damp-and-mould-understanding-and-addressing-the-health-risks-for-rented-housing-providers/understanding-and-addressing-the-health-risks-of-damp-and-mould-in-the-home–2 (2023).
3. Booker, D. et al. Ten questions concerning the future of residential indoor air quality and its environmental justice implications. Building and Environment 278, 112957 (2025).

Prof. Christian Pfrang, Chair of Atmospheric Science, University of Birmingham



Prof. Sir Michael Marmot, Director, University College London Institute of Health Equity

Abstract
Inequalities in health arise because of inequalities in society. Social determinants of health are the key drivers. Tackling climate change and health inequalities in unison is vital so that efforts to reduce health inequalities do not damage the environment and efforts to improve the environment do not damage equity. Evidence shows that action at national level is important for achieving greater health equity. So, too, is action at local level. 

Prof. Jo Barnes, Professor of Clean Air, University of the West of England, Bristol

Abstract
This talk presents the work of the AQEG report of the same title that was published by Defra in March 2025. The purpose of the report was to consider the differentials in air pollutant emissions, concentrations and exposure across the geographies and communities of the UK, the extent of evidence on these differentials and highlights gaps in our knowledge. There are a number of studies in the UK that have identified inequalities in relation to air quality, mainly in terms of differential exposure and socioeconomic status but also relating to ethnicity. The report (and presentation) discusses some of these studies, explores the nuances of differential exposure, and makes recommendations for further research to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the issues. 

Nathan Gray, Assistant Consultant, Air Quality Consultants

Abstract
This presentation discusses air pollution inequality in England. Minoritised ethnic groups experience higher emissions of both NO_x and PM_2.5 at place of residence. All major sources contribute to this inequality. The discrepancy is not accounted for by socioeconomic deprivation based disadvantages as the emissions experienced are higher at all levels of deprivation. Although absolute inequality has fallen in the past 20 years, relative inequality has remained consistent.

Owen Dudman, Assistant Consultant, Air Quality Consultants

Abstract
Ultrafine particulate (UFP or PM_0.1) is the very finest suspended particulate, less than 0.1 um in diameter. Although emissions of UFP are not generally increasing, as emissions of other air pollutants fall, attention is increasingly turning to UFP. UFP are able to enter the bloodstream and penetrate organs including the brain. They may therefore be largely responsible for the observed non-cardiovascular health effects of air pollution. Whilst we know more and more on their origins and composition, there is still considerable uncertainty around their ambient levels and health effects. They are highly heterogeneous and technically difficult to measure, so there is little data on real-world concentrations, making epidemiology very difficult. It is therefore not currently possible to set exposure limits or guidelines. What do we know, what don’t we know, and how, pragmatically, do we manage it?

Dr. Rachel Whitty, Air Quality Consultant, WSP

Abstract
Amines are solvents used in the carbon capture process to absorb CO₂ from flue gases, with small quantities released into the atmosphere during operation. Once airborne, they can degrade into nitramines and nitrosamines—compounds of environmental and regulatory concern due to their persistence and toxicity, particularly in the case of nitrosamines. This presentation outlines the methodologies used to assess these substances for permitting purposes, including estimation of atmospheric reaction rates, hydroxyl radical concentrations, and sensitivity testing. It explores how these factors influence predicted concentrations and discusses the implications for regulatory compliance. The presentation aims to further the discussion around modelling approaches and sensitivities, highlighting the importance of methodological choices in shaping environmental impact assessments and supporting informed permitting decisions.

TBC

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