Inequalities in exposure to nitrogen dioxide in parks and playgrounds in Greater London

Elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) have been associated with adverse health outcomes in children including reduced lung function and increased rates of asthma. Many parts of London continue to exceed the annual average NO2 concentration of 40µg/m3 set by the EU directive. Using high-resolution maps of annual average NO2 for 2016 from the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory and detailed maps of open spaces from Britain’s national mapping agency, Ordnance Survey, we estimated average NO2 concentrations for every open space in Greater London and analysed geospatial patterns comparing Inner verses Outer London and the 32 London Boroughs. Across Greater London, 24% of play spaces, 67% of private parks and 27% of public parks had average levels of NO2 that exceeded the EU limit for NO2. Rates of exceedance were higher in Inner London; open spaces in the City of London had the highest average NO2 values among all the London Boroughs. The closest play space for more than 250,000 children (14%) under 16 years old in Greater London had NO2 concentrations above recommended levels. Of these children, 66% (~165,000 children) live in the most deprived areas of London as measured by the Index of Multiple Deprivations where average NO2 concentrations in play spaces where on average 6 µg/m3 higher than for play spaces in the least deprived quintile. More action is needed to reduce NO2 in open spaces to safe levels through pollution reduction and mitigation efforts as currently open spaces in Greater London including play spaces, parks and gardens still have dangerously high levels of NO2 according to the most recent NO2 map