A clean air campaigner has set up an exhibition in order to demonstrate how ‘trendy’ woodburners are more harmful to Sheffield’s environment than the industrial incinerators along the Parkway route of the city,
Graham Turnbull’s interest in environmental pollution in Sheffield started in 2017, where he started the Clean Air for Sheffield campaign group, spending his time building and deploying Pm2.5 sensors across the city over the last four years in order to collect data
Mr Turnbull’s exhibition consists of 28 coloured lights that are located above the EE shop in The Moor. They respond to pm2.5 particles in the air, and feedback via colour change, starting from clear and moving to blue, green, orange, red and finally purple where pollution is at its worst.
When asked about how this problem got his attention, Mr Turnbull said: “I had children who were going to school near a busy roundabout, and I was interested in what the pollution levels were like in their playground.
“I later found out the levels of nitrogen dioxide at the school were at an illegal level, which inspired me to conduct my own research.”
After receiving advice from researchers at The University of Sheffield, Turnbull made the decision to start recording Pm2.5 levels, thus providing him with the idea to carry out the Clear Air for Sheffield campaign.
Findings so far have shown on average Pm2.5 levels are relatively consistent across Sheffield at 9-11 micrograms per cubic metre, but some areas show higher rates, typically where bonfires or woodburners are in use.
Mr Turnbull’s advice for preventing pollution was: “Where possible, stop burning things, and if you are trying to heat your house, refrain from using solid fuels.
“The incinerator is insignificant for particles as it contains filters, and air quality is much worse in the suburbs because of unfiltered burning, such as kiln dried wood.”
Those who are interested in viewing the exhibition can do so by visiting 2-4 Matilda Street from 11am-3pm on Thursday the 9th and Friday the 10th February, and 10am-3pm Saturday the 11th February.