Air pollution London: chemical 'battery acid' smell sweeps across the city amid reports of high pollution

Katy Clifton11 October 2018

Londoners have complained about a “vile chlorine smell” which swept across parts of the capital and reportedly left people needing inhalers and others with stinging eyes.

The “noxious” stench, which was described by some as smelling like battery acid, was reported across parts of south east and east London.

It came as assistant professor at the London School of Economics (LSE) Dr Thomas Smith said that Wednesday's air quality was “unhealthy” and “so bad that you can smell it”.

The academic, who works with the Geography and Environment department, said the Air Quality Index reading of 102 was the highest LSE has recorded since they began measuring in May.

A number of people said the capital looked “misty”, claiming a smell like disinfectant had swept across the area. Another wrote: “Why does the London air smell like chlorine today?”

Twitter user Neil Evans said: “OK so it’s not just me that can smell a really strong chemical/metallic smell in the air, really unpleasant over SE1. Should we be concerned?"

“There’s been a vile chlorine smell in the air for some time,” Mr Evans added in another post.

“It’s smelt consistently like TCP/Dettol/battery acid/chlorine all evening. I know several people who have had to resort to asthma inhalers – the back of my throat is stinging.”

He was not the only one who said his health was affected, with another sharing a picture of the pollution reading and writing: “Cycled home just now. Eyes sting. Legs hurt. I wonder why…?”

“If you’re in London right now I suggest you stay indoors if you can because that smell in the whole city is nowhere near normal. My chest is killing me right now,” another Londoner warned.

A number of reports were made to the Environment Agency on Twitter about the smell, with Mrs Stocksy stating: “I’m really concerned that I was breathing in harmful chemicals.”

By Thursday morning, an AQI reading shared by Dr Smith online showed the air quality was back at a level considered “good”.

The reading shows an AQI of 25 compared to Wednesday’s 102, which is considered “unhealthy if sensitive”, according to LSE.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "We have received no official reports of any incidents that relate to sites that we regulate.

"For general air quality issues, the responsibility lies with the local London boroughs."

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