Pollution Pods for Clean Air Week

Pollution Pods for Clean Air Week

Greater Manchester recently hosted its first ever Clean Air Week, from the 17th to the 23rd June 2019, coinciding with national Clean Air Day on the 20th June 2019. In order to mark the event, some of our Consultants headed down to MediaCityUK to visit the Pollution Pods on exhibition.

What are the Pollution Pods?

Created by artist Michael Pinsky, the pods are designed to represent atmospheric conditions in cities around the world. The immersive experience sees visitors walking through a series of five pods with environments representing London, New Delhi, Sao Paulo, Beijing and Tautra. Each pod is climatically controlled and uses perfumes to represent fumes from each location. The installation is eye catching and interesting and has been designed to get people thinking about air quality, an idea we certainly want to promote.

Why do atmospheric conditions differ from city to city?

The composition of the air we breathe is affected by the emissions released in the local area. The concentration of pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide in the air are affected by combustion or release of emissions from different sources, such as petrol and diesel from road vehicles or fertilisers used in agriculture

Step into the London pod and you will recognise the odour of vehicle exhaust fumes, as the city is dominated by pollutants from diesel and petrol combustion in cars, vans and lorries. Moving on into New Delhi, the most polluted city in the world, visitors experience the smell of burning and fumes from heavy industry, as waste is often burnt and factories can be found in the city centre. Over in Beijing, the pod is designed to simulate winter conditions where domestic heating results in high pollution levels, particularly due to the use of coal as the predominant energy source. In Sao Paulo, the odour is distinct, with a vinegar-like quality, as ethanol is used as the primary source of vehicle fuel. The Tautra dome, representing an Island in Norway, was included to represent clean air conditions, allowing easier comparison between clean air and each city.

Can Redmore Environmental Help You?

Polluted air has been found to contribute to the equivalent of 1,200 deaths in Greater Manchester each year. If you are concerned about air quality in your place of work, study, or home, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our specialist team today to find out how we can help you.

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