Exposure of workers in drive-through restaurants to air pollution

That this House is concerned by the investigation carried out by BBC One’s Inside Out programme screened on 24 February 2020 into the levels of exposure to air pollutants experienced by workers in drive-through fast-food restaurants; notes that research by Professor Anitha K Chinnaswamy of the Centre for Business in Society based at Coventry University found that vehicle emissions are a major source of nitrogen dioxide and airborne particle-matter, exposure to which can cause very harmful health effects including respiratory illnesses, asthma, lung disorders, but also hypertension and cardiovascular diseases; encourages owners of drive-through restaurants such as McDonalds to fund further investigations into air quality levels and the short and long term impact of employees' exposure to pollutants in booths and windows in close proximity to sources of vehicle exhaust fumes; and further encourages such employers to work with the relevant trades unions including the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union to ensure that all reasonable precautionary measures are taken to protect workers from the impact of such exposure.