A ‘pollution pavilion’ revealing invisible air pollution has been erected in Covent Garden by environmental charity Hubbub and property businesses Grosvenor Britain & Ireland.

The unique installation, designed in collaboration with artists Climate and Cities and King's College London, displays huge balloons that change colour reflecting annual nitrogen dioxide (NO2) data drawn from five London Air Quality Network stations across London to help visitors visualise air pollution levels. Nitrogen dioxide comes mainly from road transport and has been linked to asthma prevalence, adverse birth outcomes, cancer and reduced life expectancy.

At the same time, Hubbub has released figures from a survey that show 80 per cent of Britons are worried that the UK limits for air pollution that don't match WHO guidelines. The survey also found that 83 per cent of people are worried about how air pollution could affect them or their families.

Currently almost 2,000 locations across England, Wales and Northern Ireland have levels of air pollution that exceed these WHO guidelines, and by 18 March 2019 London had already breached European and UK PM10 limit for the entire year.

Trewin Restorick, CEO and co-founder of Hubbub said: "As air pollution is invisible it's really easy to ignore this issue, but there is a very real threat to our health. There's lots we can all do to improve the air we share and have a positive impact, but what we really need is legislation and initiatives that deliver clean air for everyone. We are today urging everyone to write to their local MP to get this important issue higher up on the Government's agenda."

The Pollution Pavilion will remain in Covent Garden's Piazza until 26 January 2020 and will move to Grosvenor Square in the Spring.

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