Air Pollution London

Pollution coming from Nandos, central London. This backs onto a block of flats off Baker Street, where several hundred people l live. Subjectively, smell is repulsive - rather like living downwind of a crematorium. Breathing particulate matter (aka "black carbon" ) from fast food restaurants such as this is known to have a wide range of serous human health effects. Microscopic particles of "black carbon" travel to your lungs and into your bloodstream, triggering asthma, respiratory issues, and even heart attacks. These effects are most common in younger and older people, and people with existing lung and heart problems. Particulate matter also affects the environment by polluting bodies of water, reducing visibility, and raising the acidity level and damaging forests and crops. Particulates have a greater impact when a weather condition called a thermal inversion occurs, which prevents this type of pollution from escaping into the higher atmosphere. London's most famous thermal inversion was the Great Smog of 1952, when 11000 to 12000 people died. Video shot 27/04/2011.