Exhaust emissions from road traffic
What your car sends into the atmosphere
Because of the fuels they burn, motor vehicles are a major contributor to air pollution throughout London, as the table below shows, whilst traffic causes local pollution problems in Hammersmith & Fulham.
Contribution of London's Road Traffic to Emissions
| POLLUTANT | % FROM ROAD TRAFFIC |
| Sulphur Dioxide | 23 |
| Oxides of Nitrogen | 75 |
| Carbon Monoxide | 97 |
| Carbon Dioxide | 29 |
| Volatile Organic Compounds | 60 |
| Benzene | 82 |
| 1,3-Butadiene | 97 |
| Particulate Matter (PM10) | 77 |
Source: London Research Centre 1998
Even if strict emission limits are met for motor vehicles, the rapid increase in vehicle ownership and use means that the total amount of pollution may hardly be reduced, or may even continue to rise in the future.
For more information on vehicle emmissions look at The UK Emission Factors Database.
Page last updated: 11/05/2010
