Home / Environment / Marginalized Communities Suffer Worst Air Pollution in England and Wales
Marginalized Communities Suffer Worst Air Pollution in England and Wales
5 Nov
Summary
- Air pollution has fallen, but poorest areas still face extreme toxins
- People of color, low-income, and non-drivers most affected by dirty air
- 600,000 children, two-thirds under 12, live in high-pollution neighborhoods
As of November 2025, a new analysis has found that while air pollution has fallen by a third in England and Wales over the last decade, the inequality around who is exposed to the worst levels of toxins has dramatically grown. Experts are now calling this a "grave environmental injustice."
The data shows that people of color, those on low incomes, and non-drivers are now vastly overrepresented in the 5% of neighborhoods still exposed to the most extreme air pollution. These high-pollution areas tend to be in low-income urban centers like London and Manchester.
Alarmingly, these neighborhoods are home to roughly 600,000 children, of which two-thirds are under the age of 12. There are also 1,234 schools located in these pollution hotspots. Long-term exposure to such toxic air can lead to serious health issues like asthma, lung disease, heart disease, and cancer.
