FOLLOWING a day dedicated to preventing air pollution, Oxford residents are being urged to take part in a survey about the city's air quality.

Oxford City Council wants to set a lower limit on the number of harmful pollutants in the city's air than the legal one enforced by the UK government.

This would mean that the city would aim to have only 30 micrograms of harmful nitrous oxides per meter cubed, as opposed to 40 micrograms by the year 2025.

Nitrous oxides are emitted by cars and other vehicles which burn fossil fuels.

Yesterday (October 8) was Clean Air Day 2020, a national hallmark in a campaign to clean up British air.

In light of this, the city council has renewed calls for people to take part in a consultation on its plans to improve Oxford's air quality (see: consultation.oxford.gov.uk)

The council has previously admitted its target is ambitious, but has said it could be achieved if plans to electrify buses and charge fossil fuel cars from the city centre go ahead as planned.

Air pollution kills millions across the world - both indoors and outdoors.

And data suggests that exposure to polluted air might increase the risk of serious harm or death from respiratory viruses like the coronavirus.