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The Government is looking into how it can measure how far air pollution is contributing to poor health and deaths in Jersey.
A report analysing deaths on the island in 2021 was published last week, showing that one in five deaths were due to “avoidable” causes, primarily cancers.
However, it noted that “poor air quality can affect health and contribute to mortality” – something that is monitored in England but not Jersey.
In 2019, 5.1% of mortality in England was attributable to air pollution.
“At present, local data for air pollution is not available to allow a similar calculation to be made on-island. Plans are being made to generate suitable local data, so that the impact of air quality on mortality in Jersey can be estimated and included in future iterations of this report,” the report said.
The Government is currently in the process of trialling different air quality sensor units in th
It had previously collaborated with AirSensa in 2019 and 58 monitors were placed around the island – 46 of which were at schools – but many of the units suffered technical issues and failed.
The project was pulled in 2021, with the Environment Minister pledging £250,000 to restart the air quality monitoring project.
Asked for an update by Express, an Environment spokesperson said: “Officers are currently returning to the stage of trialling air quality sensor units to find kit that is accurate and fit for purpose, which offers value for money and provides adequate technological support.
“The intention is to benchmark these units against the highly accurate monitor located in the Central Market, to make the data collected accessible to the public, and to provide near real-time data on air quality in specific locations.”
“Trials of different units are already taking place in the Central Market. Each individual trial is expected to last six months, with all trials completed by the end of the summer. Of those units being trialled, two have been providing data since January and another since mid-March.
“A trial period of this length will ensure there is sufficient data to make a fair assessment of the performance of these sensors, and the technical support provided alongside them, before moving to the next stage. The units have been used elsewhere and so the purpose of the trials is to ensure that the units chosen for Jersey are to our preferred standard and quality. Until we have completed this stage, we are not In a position to confirm which company/companies will be assisting with this work.
“The view is that Government needs to develop a longer term air quality monitoring programme, creating links with various stakeholders, to maximise what it delivers for key areas of government policy/regulation and to provide public understanding of the status of local air quality.”
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