New air sensors across Wales have a siren that goes off when air pollution is very high and tells people to go inside.
Air sensors installed in several locations across Newport change colour according to levels of air pollution, but they do not make any noise or play a warning message.
A photo of a new air quality sensor installed in Newport, Wales, has been shared on social media with the false claim it has a siren telling people to go inside when air pollution levels get too high.
One Facebook post with 1,600 shares says: “Why are these going up on every street corner in Wales? Sirens that go off when it turns purple, telling you to go inside! What makes it turn purple?? Are Wales the latest test subject for a new form of control & surveillance?? Reminds me of the Netflix series Colony!! What have they been conditioning us to?? [sic]”
A screenshot of this post is circulating on X (formerly Twitter) and also has thousands of shares.
The photo shows one of several air quality monitors, known as Eco Posts, that have been installed recently across Newport.
The sensors have a light that can change colour hourly according to air quality, specifically checking levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. In line with the UK government’s daily air quality index (DAQI), green indicates the cleanest air while purple is the most polluted. Newport City Council says these are the first Eco Posts to be installed in the UK.
However, it’s not true that the sensors will contain a siren or tell people to go inside if the indicator turns purple, signifying the highest air pollution levels.
A spokesperson for the council told Full Fact: “There’s absolutely no truth in those claims. The sensor simply changes colour to give an indication of the air quality in that area at that moment. It doesn’t make any noise or play warning messages.”
Regarding the Facebook post’s suggestion that the sensors are “going up on every corner in Wales”, the spokesperson said they were not aware of such plans to roll them out across the country and that “it would be a decision for each council to take separately for their area.”
The UK government recommends that in areas of ‘very high’ air pollution—indicated by the posts displaying a purple light—the general public should “reduce physical exertion, particularly outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms such as cough or sore throat”. It says individuals with lung problems, adults with heart problems and the elderly should “avoid strenuous physical activity” and that those with asthma may need to use their inhalers more often.
Some posts sharing the photo have connected the air sensors to the World Economic Forum (WEF), the UN’s Agenda 2030 and “climate lockdowns”. We’ve written about many false claims relating to the idea that climate policies, that are often connected to the UN and WEF, might restrict people’s free movement or choices, including claims that Oxford was due to trial a “climate lockdown” confining residents to their local neighbourhood, that the UN's Agenda 2030 will ban cars and that the daughter of the World Economic Forum (WEF) founder said “climate lockdowns” are coming.
Misinformation like this can spread quickly online and can cause people to feel unnecessary worry. It’s important to check whether information comes from credible sources before sharing it.
This article is part of our work fact checking potentially false pictures, videos and stories on Facebook. You can read more about this—and find out how to report Facebook content—here. For the purposes of that scheme, we’ve rated this claim as false because Newport City Council confirmed the sensors do not make a noise or have a warning message when pollution levels are ‘very high’.
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