MPs call for tighter regulation to tackle shameful air pollution deaths

The Environmental Audit Committee of MPs has today called for tighter regulation of air pollution as part of a new report warning that poor air quality is directly contributing to tens of thousands of premature deaths every year and putting the UK at risk of unlimited EU fines.

The report by the influential group of MPs follows a six month-long investigation into air quality in the UK, which found that air pollution could be contributing to as many as 50,000 early deaths per year, shortening lives by an average of seven to eight months.

It also warned that in pollution hotspots, such as London and other cities, the lives of people vulnerable to air pollution could be cut short by as much as nine years.

According to evidence presented to the inquiry, air pollution from vehicles and the burning of fossil fuels leads to higher rates of asthma and exacerbates heart disease and respiratory illnesses.

However, the committee concluded that despite the huge impact on public health the Government is not doing enough to reduce air pollution levels, when compared with efforts to tackle other health issues such as smoking, alcohol misuse and obesity.

Tim Yeo MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, said: "Air pollution probably causes more deaths than passive smoking, traffic accidents or obesity, yet it receives very little attention from Government or the media. In the worst affected areas this invisible killer could be taking years off the lives of people most at risk, such as those with asthma. Much more needs to be done to save lives and reduce the enormous burden air pollution is placing on the NHS."

The MPs also warn that Britain could face millions of pounds in fines if our cities continue to breach EU air quality targets designed to protect public health. Yeo said the prospect of large EU financial penalties for the UK faces if it does not get to grips with the problem should have triggered greater government to curb air pollution.

The report found that air pollution from road vehicles causes the most damage to health and argued that a dramatic shift in transport policy is required if air quality is to be improved.

This means removing the most polluting vehicles from the road, cleaning up the vehicles that remain and encouraging smarter choices about transport. Many of the policies needed to reduce transport emissions have the added benefits of tackling climate change by reducing CO2 emissions, the report added.

A spokesman for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) defended the government's record on air quality.

"We take improving air quality and meeting EU targets very seriously and have already made significant achievements - since 1990 we have succeeded in reducing sulphur dioxide emissions by 86 per cent and have nearly halved particulates," he said. "We are working across government to reduce emissions further across a number of sectors including transport and electricity generation and have introduced a range of measures that have made a significant impact in improving air quality including investment in public transport, new emissions standards for cars, lorries and buses and tax incentives for less polluting vehicles. But we recognise that there is more to do and will consider the EAC report carefully."

Britain is not the only country to incur the wrath of the EU over air pollution. The European Commission is already pursuing infringement proceedings against five member states for failing to meet EU air quality standards for dangerous airborne particles known as PM10 that have been in force since 2005.

Slovenia and Sweden are being referred to the European Court of Justice, while final written warnings have recently been sent to Cyprus, Portugal and Spain. In a separate case, Bulgaria is receiving a final written warning over its failure to control concentration levels of sulphur dioxide.

EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik said: "Air pollution is bad for our health. Member States must comply with EU air quality standards quickly and reduce emissions. I am pleased to see that over recent years we have met PM10 limit values in a number of areas throughout Europe, but much more effort is still needed if we want full compliance."