Kingston upon Thames air quality map

What sort of information about air quality can be seen on the air pollution map for Kingston upon Thames?

There is a wealth of fascinating information about air quality on the air pollution map for Kingston upon Thames. The page can readily be found on the main city page. Merely selecting the map icon will open a whole new page which is dedicated to air quality and all relevant data about it.

When the new page first opens, the viewer will see a very strong colouration across the entire map. This is a direct reflection of the current air quality. Colours can range from pale green to dark maroon where the darker the colour, the worse the air quality. The colour during December 2022 was green which shows the air quality is “Good”. These same colours are used throughout the IQAir website.

The viewer will also see several coloured circles dotted across the map. Some may even be on top of each other, but by slowly expanding the map, they will begin to separate. These represent the locations of the ground-level air monitoring stations. Each one can be individually selected to reveal all the relevant information about that specific area of the city.

These discs each display a number at their centre which is the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. This reading is calculated by taking measurements of the six most prolific air pollutants which are present in city air. The six pollutants are usually both factions of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone. Once determined, the reading is used as a standard when comparing air quality in different cities across the globe. Its use is encouraged by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Looking back at the main city page, it will be seen in the coloured banner at the top of the page that in December 2022, Kingston upon Thames was enjoying a period of “Good” air quality with a US AQI reading of just 29. Three of the main pollutants were measured but it is PM2.5 that is used as the metric. The recorded level for this was 7 µg/m³ which is nearly one and a half times higher than the target figure of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Directly below the air pollution map for Kingston upon Thames can be seen the number of contributors there are that provide the data regarding air quality. There were two contributors who operated eight stations between them. One of them is an educational unit and the other is a Non-Profit Organisation.

Is there much more fascinating information about air quality on the air pollution map for Kingston upon Thames?

There is a lot more very interesting information about air quality on the air pollution map for Kingston upon Thames, but in order to see all of it, the page needs to be viewed at maximum size. This is very easy to do by simply clicking on the icon at the top of the screen.

When viewed in this manner, a list of four options can be seen on the left-hand side of the page. These can all be individually turned off or on to get a better idea of the effect each one can have on the map.

The first option shows the location of all the ground-level air monitoring stations in the area although not all of them will be over the city. In an area such as London, there are many stations on the map. They can all be accessed individually to see more information about that area of the city.

The second option shows the location of any wildfires that may be burning in the area. In December 2022, there were no reports of fires so there are no icons on the map. If there were, then the fourth option needs to be viewed because it shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds and could give valuable insight as to where the ensuing smoke may blow.

Option three is the most dramatic as it can change the colour of the map to reflect the current air quality. However, some viewers may find the colour too intense and confusing, in which case the option can be disabled and the map will change back to a more muted colour palette.

The rest of the information is on the right-hand side of the screen where a table can be found. This table shows the ranking of the worst polluting cities in descending order. By default, only seven are shown on the lead page, but further investigation will open a new page containing information about all the world’s participating cities.

Can the source of the polluted air be seen on the air quality map for Kingston upon Thames?

Although the source of the polluted air is not directly seen on the air quality map for Kingston upon Thames, it is known that 64 per cent of nitrogen oxides comes from vehicle emissions. Diesel powered vehicles produce the highest amount of pollution.

Further sources include power generation and domestic heating. Construction also plays a part in the air pollution as does the handling of waste products.

PM2.5 is often seen on the air pollution map for Kingston upon Thames, but how dangerous is it?

PM10 and PM2.5 often come from different emission sources and have different chemical compositions. Emissions resulting from the burning of gasoline, oil, diesel or wood produce a large part of the PM2.5 pollution of the outdoor air. PM10 also includes dust from construction sites, landfills and agriculture, which can arise from fires and brush/waste burning, from industrial sources, from windblown dust on open land, and from pollen or bacterial fragments.

A number of adverse health effects have been associated with exposure to both PM2.5 and PM10. For PM2.5, short-term exposures (up to 24 hours) were associated with premature mortality, increased hospitalisations for cardiac or pulmonary causes, acute and chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks, respiratory symptoms and restrictions, as well as days of inactivity. These adverse health effects have been reported mainly in infants, children and older adults with pre-existing heart or lung disease. Additionally, of all common air pollutants, PM2.5 is associated with the highest proportion of air pollution-related adverse health effects according to the World Health Organisation.