What is the Pollen Count ?

Every day In June and July, staff at Rotherham MBCs Environmental Health Services take samples of airborne particulates and count the number of grass pollen grains that are present. A pollen count and a forecast are issued to enable hay fever sufferers to plan their activities and medication for the following day. Rotherham MBC was one of the forerunners in grass pollen counting has been providing this service since the late 1970s. The work is sponsored by the manufacturers of Zirtec a hay fever treatment available from pharmacies.

The Rotherham pollen trap is part of a national network of thirty three counting stations covering the whole of the UK. The daily information from these sites is collated by the Pollen UK scheme, the data is used to produce the national pollen forecasts which are seen on the television weather and in the press.