Stadium lights pose health risk, campaigner claims

Special stadium lighting used to grow turf can put health at risk, a campaigner against light pollution has claimed.

Roy Alexander spoke following recent public interest in pink glowing skies at nighttime, including those above Birmingham. The phenomenon there was linked to LED lighting at Birmingham City FC, and thought to be caused by atmospheric conditions reacting with the lamps.

But while displays are striking, the chair of DarkSky UK says exposure to such brightness at night can interfere with people's natural rhythms, threatening their wellness.

A 2023 House of Lords report into the effects of exposure to light pollution found it could contribute to a range of adverse health outcomes.

Birmingham City FC has been contacted for comment.

DarkSky UK was founded in 2020 as the British branch of a global organisation of the same name. According to its website, "the night is disappearing" and, in a bid to preserve starry skies, the group seeks to promote "responsible outdoor lighting".

Alexander said animals, plants and humans had evolved to live on a 24-hour cycle of light and dark, and interfering with it by way of strong artificial light was risky.

"You are chemically built to be going to sleep at night," he said.

"There are chemicals in your body that help you to shut down and rest and then wake up in the morning.

"If we don't have that then there is an increased risk of [illness]."

The 2023 report by the Lords' Science and Technology Committee listed heart disease among the potential outcomes of exposure, but conceded there were, generally, gaps in understanding the issue.

Alexander, 55, who is based in Gateshead, said he was also concerned about wildlife, including nocturnal creatures.

He called bright and artificially-lit evening skies an "environmental disaster" and said the UK was behind other nations in managing the issue.

Cloud cover and falling snow in Birmingham in January meant the sky was more reflective than usual, which created the unusual display above St Andrew's stadium and beyond.

The Lords' document said UK government guidance defined light pollution as "light shining where it is not intended or wanted".

In terms of law, "artificial light emitted from premises or any stationary object", so as to be a nuisance or "prejudicial to health", was in 2005 added to the statutory nuisances listed under the Environmental Protection Act.

Planning guidance on light pollution states care must be taken over where light shines and how much, with any ecological impact also to be considered.

The BBC is unaware of any public complaint over the LED lamps at Birmingham City, whether in normal meteorological conditions or otherwise.

Whether planning permission was required for their use is unclear.

Alexander said his campaign group loved sports and wanted to work with clubs on solutions.

A glow across Coventry's night skies has also been observed, with the source being linked to the CBS Arena.

Alexander called on venues to look at how stadia elsewhere in the world were managing matters.

These included, he said, state-of-the-art lights at the Frank Brown Park in Florida, which DarkSky believed were good for both sports and surrounding communities.

Alexander said: "The message we're trying to get across to people is not that we want everybody to switch off all their lights all the time.

"It's about just being thoughtful and sensible and responsible with your lighting."

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