London PM2.5 over 8 times WHO limit, Sadiq Khan urges
London's air quality just hit a worrying high, with PM2.5 pollution levels soaring to more than eight times the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limit after a weekend packed with fireworks, bonfires, and Diwali festivities.
Mayor Sadiq Khan has issued a citywide alert for Tuesday, urging everyone, especially those with health conditions, to take precautions and minimize time outside while the air stays this bad.
Londoners urged to avoid garden burns
The pollution spike is being blamed on all the weekend celebrations, plus calm winds and fog trapping dirty air over the city. Experts say burning wood at home and car emissions are big culprits too.
Khan is asking Londoners to help out by turning off engines when parked and skipping garden waste burns for now.
Larissa Lockwood, director of campaigns at Global Action Plan, suggests public campaigns about health risks and "burn alerts" during bad-air days to keep things from getting worse in future.