Levels of pollution in Cardiff are putting children in inner-city schools at risk, according to research by environmental law charity Client Earth.
The research claims nine schools in Cardiff are close to roads which have dangerously high levels of traffic emissions.
The schools are in areas which exceed the EU recommended limits of toxic gases.
Tredegarville Primary in Adamsdown is one of the schools affected by poor air quality.
The school is on Newport Road, one of Cardiff’s busiest roads, and because of traffic congestion has a higher concentration of pollution.
Staff say the issue is out of their hands and they need more help in tackling the problem.
The headteacher, Emma Laing says: “Children who are educated in highly polluted areas are much more likely to have asthma and much more likely to have long term health conditions.
“The contribution the school is making to the wider traffic problem on Newport Road is fairly minimal and it requires a much bigger rethink really in terms of the design of the city.”
“It is something that the children are aware of, and I suppose we have to work with them because they are the future and we hope that they will have better ideas to find solutions to the problems we have created for them.”
Client Earth say they are taking the Welsh Government to the High Court over their plans to tackle pollution levels.
The Welsh Government say they recognise they must do more and are launching a program to enforce Clean Air Zones.
The case is set to be heard in February next year.
