Wiltshire Council’s Wiltshire Community Air Network (WCAN) is launching a one-year project to monitor PM2.5 air pollution across the county and is seeking hosts for 100 low-cost air quality sensors.
The air quality sensors will measure PM2.5 air pollution, small particles in the air that can increase the risk of health problems and that can be damaging to the environment. This is part of the council’s Wiltshire Community Air Network project and the sensors will provide real time data which members of the public will be able to access online.
Cllr Paul Sample JP, Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate and Waste, said, "We are seeking assistance from local residents and organisations to better understand PM2.5 air pollution in Wiltshire. We aim to recruit 100 volunteers to host air quality sensors for a year and encourage applications from individuals and groups in Wiltshire who are interested in monitoring PM2.5 pollution in their communities."
“The data collected will enable us to gain a greater understanding of this type of dangerous air pollution and put us in a stronger position to determine requirements for long-term monitoring and identify ways to reduce pollution.”
To ensure a wide range of places and communities are represented in the project, the council will be allocating a number of sensors to each of the 18 community areas of Wiltshire, based on the size of the population. In each area, the council will prioritise placing sensors at or near schools, medical facilities, and supported housing.
The sensors need to be placed outdoors, plugged in to a mains power supply and connected to a stable internet connection. The sensors are easy to use, and volunteers will be supported to set up and maintain them. At the end of the one-year project, hosts can choose to keep the sensor for their own use or return it to the council for recycling.
The approximate location of the sensor will be visible on a publicly available online map.
The closing date for applications is Monday 23 June 2025.
To host a sensor people need to:
- Be over 18 years of age
- Have a suitable outdoor location to place the sensor for one year, without being disturbed. It must be placed outside, between 1.5m and 3m above ground level. The sensor can be secured to a wall, fence, or drainpipe using provided cable ties or screws.
- Confirm that the sensor will be continuously connected to mains power and a reliable Wi-Fi connection (including overnight and during holidays). This is important as the sensor will not work without power and internet connection.
- Have permission from the bill payer to pay the cost of power and Wi-Fi used by the air quality sensor. The sensors only use a small amount of power and bandwidth, costing under £3 to run for a whole year.
Existing monitoring of key pollutants indicates that the air quality in Wiltshire is predominantly very good. However, there are a small number of locations where the combination of traffic, road layout and topography result in pollutants being trapped so that concentrations increase to unacceptable levels. Historically two pollutants have been of concern in Wiltshire: nitrogen dioxide and PM10. Recent years have shown significant improvements in the levels of these pollutants and the council are likely to be able to start revoking some of Wiltshire’s eight air quality management orders, as pollutant levels reach compliance with UK air quality standards. Recent focus has shifted to very fine particulates (PM2.5) as there is increasing evidence of the harms they can produce.
PM2.5 is not yet incorporated into Local Air Quality Management Regulations, and therefore there is no statutory requirement for Local Authorities review and assess PM2.5 for LAQM purposes. However, since 2016 the government has stated that it expects all local authorities to effectively use their powers to reduce PM2.5 emissions from the sources which are within their control. The WCAN project is Wiltshire Council’s first step in building a baseline understanding of PM2.5 pollution across the county.
More information about the Wiltshire Community Air Network project and an application form can be found on the Wiltshire Council website at Overview - Wiltshire Council. Alternatively, email Wiltshire Community Air Network at
Further information about air quality:
The air people breathe is made up of a complex mix of gases and fine particulates. Some of these are beneficial, some are harmful pollutants and others, such as pollen, have both benefits and detrimental effects. Pollutants that affect our air quality come from both natural and man-made sources. Air quality has improved in England over recent decades. However, air pollution continues to be the biggest environmental risk to public health. Local government has an essential role to play in delivering cleaner air for communities and nature right across England.
Air pollution is associated with several adverse health impacts. It is recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of heart disease and cancer. Additionally, air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society, including children and older people, and those with heart and lung conditions. There is also often a strong correlation with inequalities, because areas with poor air quality are also often the less affluent areas. While significant improvements have been made, air pollution remains a real challenge for some communities in Wiltshire.
Since Wiltshire’s last Air Quality Strategy was published in 2019, the government has highlighted concern over pollution from fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5. This refers to airborne particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5µm or less. Particulate matter is everything in the air that is not a gas. Research now shows long-term exposure to PM2.5 is the biggest impact of air pollution on public health. In 2021, an amendment to the Environment Act introduced new national targets for PM2.5.
Fine PM (PM2.5) can travel large distances in the atmosphere. A proportion of the concentrations of PM that people in the UK are exposed to come from naturally occurring sources such as pollen and sea spray and some is transported to the UK from other European countries or international shipping. However, around half of UK concentrations of PM comes from anthropogenic sources in the UK such as domestic wood burning and tyre and brake wear from vehicles.
For any enquiries, please contact the communications team at
For political comment:
Liberal Democrats: Ian Thorn
Conservatives: Richard Clewer
Reform: Ed Rimmer
Independent: Ernie Clark
Salisbury Independent and Labour: Ricky Rogers
