Issue

PM2.5 emissions

2 stories · discussed at 1 council meeting · 3 councils

Hackney Council approved its Air Quality Action Plan, as Waltham Forest plans to unify smoke control areas.

Hackney Council approved its new Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) for 2026-2030 in May 2026, submitting it to the Mayor of London for final approval. This statutory plan addresses air pollution, including particulate matter, and replaces the previous 2021-2025 plan, as reported in May 2026. Waltham Forest Council plans to consolidate its Smoke Control Orders into a single borough-wide Smoke Control Area by December 2025, aiming to improve air quality and simplify enforcement, according to a November 2025 report.

The Waltham Forest proposal to unify smoke control areas is expected to be submitted to the full Council in December 2025, following a report to the Climate Scrutiny Committee in November 2025. Hackney's AQAP is a statutory requirement for the council, which has had an Air Quality Management Area in place since 2006 due to exceedances of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (PM10) objectives.

Key facts

  1. Hackney Council approved its new Air Quality Action Plan for 2026-2030 in May 2026. Source
  2. The Hackney plan was submitted to the Mayor of London for final approval in May 2026. Source
  3. Waltham Forest Council plans to unify its Smoke Control Orders into a single borough-wide Smoke Control Area by December 2025. Source
  4. The Waltham Forest proposal is expected to be submitted to full Council in December 2025. Source
  5. Hackney Council has had an Air Quality Management Area in place since 2006. Source
About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Latest stories

  1. Hackney Council approves new Air Quality Action Plan Hackney Council has officially approved its new Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) for 2026-2030, a crucial document outlining the borough's strategy to combat air pollution over... Hackney 20 May 2026
  2. Waltham Forest to unify smoke control area borough-wide to improve air quality Waltham Forest Council is planning to consolidate its existing Smoke Control Orders (SCOs) into a single, borough-wide Smoke Control Area (SCA) by December 2025. The move aims... Waltham Forest 16 November 2025