Cutting emissions on the food delivered to your door: CoolRun, part of the Clean Air programme

Air pollution is the world’s largest environmental health threat. In the UK alone it is responsible for around 40,000 early deaths and costs billions of pounds annually in health and care services. More people than ever are getting home delivered food - and while the vehicle that brings it to your door could be electric, often a secondary diesel engine is used to refrigerate your food, adding to significantly to air pollution. CoolRun, led by Hubl, aims to remove these engines entirely from the food system. Their project uses a novel storage pod system alongside phase change temperature management to reduce and remove the use of secondary engines to power the refrigeration on delivery vehicles. The Clean Air programme aims to bring together leading researchers from across atmospheric, medical and social science to better predict exposure to air pollution and its effects on vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. It will identify practical and usable solutions to air pollution to help policy makers and business protect health and work towards a cleaner economy.