As well as having effects on human health, air pollution can also be harmful to our natural environment, biodiversity and ecosystem as well as contributing to climate change.
Pollutants in the air can be toxic to sensitive plants and trees, while pollutants in rainfall damage habitats by depositing acid or excess nutrients.
The most significant air pollution for our natural environment happens when reactive nitrogen compounds, such as ammonia and nitrogen oxides, are deposited to sensitive sites. This can be through direct contact between polluted air and plants. This type of deposition is called ‘dry deposition’ and it mostly happens close to pollution sources.
Deposition also occurs when pollution is dissolved in precipitation (rain and snow), which falls onto sensitive sites. We call this ‘wet deposition’ and it can happen at long distances away from the pollution source.
Ammonia is by far the biggest contributor to nitrogen deposition and comes from agricultural activities such as livestock housing, slurry/manure storage and spreading and fertiliser use.
Another source of nitrogen deposition is from nitrogen oxides, which are produced from road transport (petrol and diesel engines) and some types of industry.
Sulphur dioxide is another air pollutant that has harmful effects on vegetation and it is produced from burning fuels, in particular coal.
Our natural environment is a vital part of Solihull, making it an attractive and beautiful place to live and work in. Our recently adopted Natural Capital Investment Strategy (NCIS) compliments our existing initiatives and strategies setting out how the Council will work in partnership with other organisations, partners, communities and businesses, to protect, restore and enhance nature in a sustainable way for all.