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Cllr David Renard, the Local Government Association’s transport spokesman, responded to a joint report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the Royal College of Physicians linking indoor air pollution and respiratory problems in children 

“Good air quality is vital for our health and wellbeing and councils, who are already leading the way in tackling air pollution, will take on board any good practice guidance that helps continue to protect vulnerable people and keep them safe.

“However developers, manufacturers, households and businesses can all play a role in addressing this.

“Developers need to factor in proper ventilation when building homes, and people need to be aware that the impact of poor air quality isn’t just an outdoor problem caused by vehicles. Manufacturers of sprays and disinfectants should also do more to provide warnings about ventilated spaces.

“Councils want to work with the Government to reduce harmful emissions, and have introduced a range of measures to tackle air pollution, such as Clean Air Zones, encouraging the use of electric vehicles with recharging points, promoting cycling, investing in cleaner buses, managing borough-wide air pollution monitoring networks, planning for new places in ways that improve air quality, and engaging with businesses to increase awareness and reduce their environmental impact.

“But for air quality plans to be successful, they need to be underpinned by local flexibility and sufficient funding, while issues around resourcing and capacity also need to be addressed, as well as educating the public around the need to reduce pollution.”

Growing evidence linking indoor air pollution and respiratory problems in children, according to new report by Royal Colleges