Launch of the FAIR air quality project at Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street
Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street is using World Environment Day to raise awareness about the impact of air pollution on children’s health. Children are more vulnerable to air pollution because they breathe faster and are closer to the ground where vehicle emissions are concentrated. As well documented on this site, air pollution can have both short-term and long-term effects on children’s health, causing symptoms like sore throat, dry eyes, headaches, shortness of breath, and nausea. It can also trigger asthma attacks.
As part of their efforts, the FAIR project has created a fun animated video that explains the importance of clean air for good health. The video will be displayed on information screens at CHI at Temple Street, along with local air quality information. The project emphasises that everyone can contribute to improving air quality by monitoring local air quality, avoiding busy roads during peak traffic, exercising when air quality is good, and refraining from burning solid fuels at home. Choosing alternative modes of transportation like walking, cycling, or scooting also helps improve local air quality.
Dr. Sandra Green, a Respiratory Specialist Registrar from Irish Doctors for the Environment, welcomes the FAIR project and highlights the importance of clean air for the health of everyone, especially children. Cleaner air not only benefits people’s health but also contributes to a healthier planet. She believes that knowledge is power and hopes that patients and their parents will find the information provided at CHI at Temple Street helpful.
The recent publication of the Clean Air Strategy has emphasised the need for Ireland to improve its air quality according to WHO standards. Measures like promoting walking and cycling and reducing reliance on solid fuels like coal or wood in homes are being encouraged.
Eilísh Hardiman, Chief Executive of Children’s Health Ireland, emphasises the importance of improving air quality in and around children’s hospitals, including the new children’s hospital. This involves raising awareness about the impact of air pollution on children’s health and providing reliable, affordable, and clean public transport options. Sustainable modes of travel like biking, e-biking, and walking are also encouraged. The new children’s hospital is designed to meet BREEAM international accreditation for green building strategies and practices.
The FAIR project is a collaborative effort involving Children’s Health Ireland, the Environmental Protection Agency, Irish Doctors for the Environment, the Spark Innovation Programme, the Health Service Executive, Asthma Ireland, and the Irish Thoracic Society. The project is partially funded by the EU LIFE Programme under the LIFE Emerald project, and the Sonitus Systems’ team members are proud to have played an enabling role through our ongoing work with Ireland’s EPA.
Read more and watch the accompanying video through Children’s Health Ireland: https://www.childrenshealthireland.ie/news/launch-of-the-fair-air-quality-project/
Sonitus Systems offers both the hardware and software for a range of environmental parameters on a continual basis, with real-time information available through our Sonitus Cloud dashboard. For more details on our indoor and outdoor noise and air quality monitoring products and services, please contact the team at https://www.sonitussystems.com/contact-us
