How to reduce your exposure to pollution if Liatris are allowed to bring one million tons of infill into Seaton

Bearing in mind that, should the Liatris planning appliction be successful, there will be 65-90 lorries per day, 10 hours per day, 6 days a week coming through Seaton for 3-4 years (that’s one lorry every 3 minutes PLUS construction traffic) I précis below an article in today’s Guardian on how to minimise your exposure to air pollution. It is aimed at cities but, given the amount of lorry movement we can expect, our exposure to pollution will be similiarly high.

1. Watch where you walk – avoid walking along busy streets and thoroughfares, choose side streets and parks (not actually possible in Seaton if you are walking your child to school along Harepath Road or visiting the nursing home on Seaton Down Hill, but do the best you can).

2. When crossing the road stand well back from the kerb. “Every metre does count when you are in close proximity to traffic”. Don’t dawdle (so drag your child if he or she is a bit slow) and once you are over stay as far away from the kerb as possible - in Seaton this may mean m.

3. Avoid pollution spikes. In cities these are morning and late afternoon. However, in Seaton the traffic will be continuous for 10 hours a day, six days a week and children have to go to school just as people are going to work so I can’t offer any local advice on this one.

4. Wear a mask. Ensure they fit tightly and are cleaned regularly. If you fail to clean it adequately there is a danger of allowing oily organic compounds to build up on the filter. Perhaps we could have daily fresh masks as part of our Section 106 agreement.

5. Pushchairs. According to the Royal Commission report … “children living close to busy roads have an approximately 50% increased risk of experiencing respiratory illness, including asthma.” Do not push your child in a buggy too close to traffic. Position the buggy alongside you, away from the kerb, if you must go out with it (e.g. when delivering your older child to school or when you are walking into town).

6. Beware of exercising in traffic. You inhale three times as much pollution if you are jogging. Cyclists should stick to side roads where possible (unless, of course, you can’t get to work except on a main road – well, tough – back to number 4 – the mask).

7. If you are on a bus you are still exposed to pollution from outside it. Sit upstairs on a double decker. On a single deck bus, avoid the driver’s side – pollution can be 10% higher on that side. However, this won't be a problem as our buses stop at the same time as the lorries.

8. Protect yourself indoors. Pollution levels can be two to five times higher indoors. Ventilating near to the source of pollution is not really an option so they suggest having a good doormat to pick up pollution from outside. It isn’t necessarily a case of “the higher the better” either – studies show that pollution remains constant in cities up to a height of 700m. So, no opening windows and, again, maybe we can get Liatris to give us all doormats.

9. Don’t drive. Bit difficult this one when our buses don’t mesh with working times and stop between 6pm and 8.30 pm and are really expensive to use. Just do your best.

10. Get out of town.