Westminster Council launches scheme to cut cooking emissions in restaurants to improve air quality

Westminster City Council has launched a new pilot scheme aimed at tackling harmful air pollution caused by cooking emissions in restaurants.  

Commercial cooking is the third-largest single source of Particulate Matter (also known as PM2.5 emissions) in London, which is estimated to account for 59% of total emissions. These emissions originate from cooking fuels such as charcoal, wood and gas, as well as food preparation methods like frying and grilling.  

PM2.5 are tiny particles in the air that are small enough to travel deep inside the lungs, heart and brain. Long-term exposure has been linked to serious health conditions such as heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and even cognitive decline. 

To address this, Westminster City Council is trialling a new air purification system in five local restaurants to assess its effectiveness in reducing PM2.5 emissions and improving indoor and outdoor air quality. The trial will also provide valuable data on how restaurant emissions contribute to pollution across the city, which will be shared with the businesses.  

Mayfair restaurant, Apricity, is one of four restaurants in Westminster piloting this new technology to improve the air quality for its staff and diners.  

Eve Seemann, head chef at Apricity restaurant in Mayfair, said:  

“It's important research in terms of health for myself and the staff, as well as anyone visiting Mayfair and central London.   

“Although our style of cooking may not be as polluting as others, it’s important to see what areas we could improve in. This data will allow us to see when there's a peak, what caused that peak and what we can do to try and remedy it. I’m glad we are part of finding a solution to reduce air pollution.”  

Cllr Geoff Barraclough, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, said: 

“These emissions from commercial cooking present a significant air quality and public health challenge in Westminster. What we learn from this pilot could help us shape future policies and ensure cleaner air for all those who live, work and visit the city. 

“We want this pilot to raise awareness of air quality issues within the industry, and I hope it encourages other businesses to sign up to participate in the trial. I’m proud that we’re leading the way testing innovative solutions to make sure our communities can live in a greener, more sustainable Fairer Environment.” 

Dr Philip Webb, Chief Executive Officer at Health and Wellbeing 360 Ltd, said: 

“Not only will monitoring indoor environmental quality and outdoor air quality provide important data on pollutants and toxins in a real world setting such as kitchens in local restaurants based in community settings, it will give us insights into the health and wellbeing impacts of these types of emissions indoors and outdoors and, importantly, we will be able to assess the effectiveness of interventions such as ventilation, filtration and purification. 

 

“It also demonstrates Westminster Council leading the way on innovation in this sector and highlights the role of appropriate technology in identifying risks and mitigation strategies to help protect the health and wellbeing of local communities now and for future generations." 

Businesses can still be a part of the scheme and can sign up to the council’s commercial cooking pilot.