Air pollution education and awareness campaign

Tender description

In September 2019, an audit of Wirral’s local air quality actions, using Public Health England recommendations was undertaken. Following this audit, a list of recommended local actions was formulated and outlined in a report to the Health and Wellbeing Board in November 2019. Those related to this bid include: - Prioritisation of air quality activities is based on the hierarchy of interventions (prioritising prevention of emissions over reducing/avoiding exposure). - Air quality initiatives continue to employ a focus on vulnerable populations and foster collaborations with internal/external stakeholders and the wider community. This contact is for works to support a DEFRA funded project to improve air quality by reducing particulate emissions from domestic burning at source, targeted mainly at wood burning stoves but also considering other domestic burning. It will ensure we are working towards meeting the proposed target for PM2.5 set out in the Environment Act 2021. The Clean Air Strategy states that wood-burning stove emissions are now the biggest source of PM pollution in the UK, making up 38% of UK air pollution. Therefore, we aim to reduce this at source through a variety of initiatives and interventions aimed at: - Suppliers and installers of solid fuel appliances (ensure awareness of eco-design rules, SCAs, and provide advice on most efficient appliances, correct fuels, installation, and use) - Maintenance professionals, i.e., chimney sweeps (best practice, correct fuels, and techniques for efficient burning) - Solid fuel, wood and biomass suppliers (ensure correct rules are followed, i.e., wood is certified ‘Ready to Burn’, support with resources on choice of fuel and efficient burning) - Households using solid fuel appliances and potential users i.e., householders contacting building regulation service or groups above (indoor air quality implications, cost, efficient use, maintenance, rules, and regulations) - Allotment holders (bonfires and SCAs and wood burning stove use) - Householders (Signpost to support with home heating, grants for insulation, energy efficiency measures, discourage the use of solid fuel heating) The project has two main objectives, the first is to reduce particulate matter from domestic burning at source through an information and education campaign alongside a review of legislation and enforcement options. The second is to provide residents, particularly those more vulnerable to the health effects of air pollution, with the knowledge to protect themselves from air pollution through delivery of an information and awareness campaign delivered in community and public health settings.