Exhaust fumes

Smoking in cars with child passengers is illegal in parts of the US, Australia and Canada A ban on smoking in cars where children are present may be introduced in Wales. Is lighting up inside your vehicle damaging?

If a campaign to change attitudes does not succeed, a tobacco ban inside vehicles in which children are travelling could be imposed, the Welsh government has warned.

Such a move would bring Wales into line with a number of other jurisdictions around the world. But is passive smoking a danger to passengers?

Anti-smoking campaigners point to a University of Aberdeen study which suggested that it exposes children to levels of smoke comparable to those in a smoke-filled pub.

But the smokers' rights lobby questions the research, saying another study indicates the vast majority of people would never light up with a child travelling alongside them anyway.

If Wales were to adopt a ban on smoking inside cars in which children were present, it would join the US states of California, Arkansas and Louisiana as well as parts of Canada and Australia which have already done so.

Since 2009 smoking has been banned in the UK within vehicles used for work or to transport members of the public. Additionally, the Highway Code advises against smoking while driving because it causes a distraction.

Anti-smoking campaigners say they would like to see the law tightened further.

Diesel fumes 'raise heart risks'

Minuscule particles produced by burning diesel could can increase the chance of blood clots Chemical particles in diesel exhaust fumes could increase the risk of heart attacks, new research has suggested.

Edinburgh University scientists found minuscule particles produced by burning diesel can increase the chance of blood clots forming in arteries.

The blood clots can then lead to heart attacks or stroke.

The team measured the impact of diesel exhaust fumes on a group of healthy volunteers at levels found in heavily polluted cities.

The volunteers' reaction to gases found in diesel fumes, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, were compared with their reactions to tiny chemical particles found in the exhausts.

It was found that the particles, and not the gases, impaired the function of blood vessels.

Blood pressure

Dr Mark Miller, of Edinburgh University's centre for cardiovascular science, said: "While many people tend to think of the effects of air pollution in terms of damage to the lungs, there is strong evidence that it has an impact on the heart and blood vessels as well.

"Our research shows that while both gases and particles can affect our blood pressure, it is actually the minuscule chemical particles that are emitted by car exhausts that are really harmful.

Continue reading the main story“Start QuoteTheir findings suggest that lives could be saved by cutting these harmful nanoparticles out of exhausts”

End QuoteJeremy PearsonBritish Heart Foundation "These particles produce highly reactive molecules called free radicals that can injure our blood vessels and lead to vascular disease."

He added: "We are now investigating which of the chemicals carried by these particles cause these harmful actions, so that in the future we can try and remove these chemicals, and prevent the health effects of vehicle emissions."

The particles, which are thinner than a millionth of a metre, can be filtered out of exhaust emissions by fitting special traps to vehicles.

The researchers said environmental health measures designed to reduce emissions should now be tested to determine whether they reduce the rate of heart attacks.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "We've known for a long time that air pollution is a major heart health issue, and that's why we're funding this team in Edinburgh to continue their vital research.

"Their findings suggest that lives could be saved by cutting these harmful nanoparticles out of exhausts, perhaps by taking them out of the fuel, or making manufacturers add gadgets to their vehicles that can trap particles before they escape.

"The best approach isn't clear yet.

"For now our advice remains the same, people with heart disease should avoid spending long periods outside in areas where traffic pollution is likely to be high, such as on or near busy roads."

The research, funded by the British Heart Foundation, has been published in the European Heart Journal.