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19 Jan 1998
Unpublished Government figures on air pollution, released
today by Friends of the Earth,show how excess traffic on our roads is
continuing to threaten human health. Last week the Government Committee
on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants stated that air pollution hastens
the death of up to 24,000 people a year, and triggers up to 24,000 hospital
admissions. In most towns and cities, traffic is the major cause of
air pollution, although industry is also a major factor.
The figures, which cover the whole of 1997, are from the Government's
Air Quality Monitoring Stations. They show, for each site, the number
of days on which ozone and particulate pollution levels exceeded the
Government's health standards. They also show whether the nitrogen dioxide
levels exceeded the Government's annual mean health standard. Although
national air quality levels have generally improved since 1996, in a
significant number of local cases figures have continued to get worse.
The figures will put new pressure on the Government to support
the Road Traffic Reduction Bill, a Private Members Bill from Cynog Dafis
MP, due to be debated in Parliament on 30th January. 422 MPs have now
indicated support for the principles of the Bill, which would require
the Government to produce a national plan to cut road traffic from 1990
levels by 5% by the year 2005 and 10% by the year 2010.
Commenting, FOE Transport Campaigner Roger Higman said today:
“These figures show just how frequently
pollution in Britain still threatens people's health. All over the country,
Government health standards are exceeded, sometimes for dozens of days
every year. No wonder the Government's own health advisers are now saying
that thousands of people die or suffer ill health every year as a result.
Improved technology and standards for vehicles are simply not reducing
pollution levels fast enough. Action must be taken now to reduce traffic
levels. The Government could start by supporting the Road Traffic Reduction
Bill when it is debated later this month.”
The Government's health standards are as follows: for particulates
50 microgrammes per cubic metre, taken as a mean over any 24 hour period;
for ozone 50 parts per billion as a mean over any 8 hour
period; for nitrogen dioxide 21 parts per billion as
an annual mean.
The tables below show sites where pollution levels exceeded Government
guidelines more frequently in 1997 than in 1996.
Ozone
|
Monitoring Station
|
No of days exceeding health standard
|
Monitoring Station
|
No of days exceeding health standard
|
| Aston Hill (Mid Wales) |
|
|
|
| Eskdalemuir (S Scotland) |
|
London Brent |
|
| Exeter Roadside |
|
London Eltham |
|
| Glazebury (Cheshire) |
|
Lullington Heath (Sussex) |
|
| Great Dun Fell (Cumbria) |
|
Rochester |
|
| Harwell (Oxfordshire) |
|
Sibton (East Anglia) |
|
| Ladybower (Derbyshire) |
|
Strath Vaich (North Scotland) |
|
| Leicester Centre |
|
|
|
In addition, ozone health standards were frequently exceeded at Birmingham
East (21 days),Bottesford, Nottinghamshire (23 days), High Muffles, North
Yorkshire (27 days), Leamington Spa (24 days), London Teddington (38 days),
Narberth, West Wales (28 days), Port Talbot, South Wales (20 days), Somerton,
South Somerset (43 days), Stoke on Trent Centre (20 days), Thurrock, Essex
(23 days), Yarner Wood, Devon (24 days).
Ozone is formed by the interaction of nitrogen oxides and
hydrocarbons in sunlight. It irritates the mucous membrane of the respiratory
system, causing coughing, choking and impaired lung function and exacerbating
asthma symptoms. Other common symptoms include headaches, eye, nose and
throat irritation and chest discomfort on deep breathing. The principal
source of both nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons is road traffic.
Particulates
|
Monitoring Station
|
No of days exceeding health standard
|
Monitoring Station
|
No of days exceeding health standard
|
| Leeds Centre |
|
London North Kensington |
|
| London Eltham |
|
London Brent |
|
In addition, particulate health standards were frequently exceeded at
Belfast (57 days), Bury Roadside (37 days), Glasgow Kerbside (51 days),
Hull Centre (23 days), London Bexley (22
days), London Bloomsbury (30 days), London Camden (54 days) London London Haringey Roadside (35 days), London Kingston Roadside (25 days), Sutton Roadside (24 days)Middlesborough (21 days), Port Talbot (47 days), Sheffield Centre (26 days).
Increased concentrations of particulates have been closely
related to increases in a number of medical conditions including death
due to strokes, heart and lung diseases as well as hospital admissions
for lung diseases and increased suffering due to asthma
Nitrogen Dioxide
The following sites showed nitrogen dioxide levels over the health standard:
Bath Roadside (33 ppb), Birmingham Centre (24 ppb), Bristol Centre (23 ppb),
Bristol Old Market (32 ppb), Bury Roadside (39 ppb), Edinburgh Centre (24 ppb),
Exeter (24 ppb), Glasgow Centre (23 ppb), Glasgow City Chambers (26 ppb),
Glasgow Kerbside (36 ppb), Hove Roadside (21 ppb), Leeds Centre (27 ppb),
Leicester Centre (21 ppb), Lincoln Roadside (33 ppb), Liverpool Centre (23 ppb),
London Bloomsbury (37 ppb), London Brent (21 ppb), London Bromley (41 ppb),
London Camden Roadside (38 ppb), London Kingston Roadside (35 ppb),
London Lewisham Roadside (30 ppb), London Marylebone Road (49 ppb),
London North Kensington (26 ppb), London Southwark (26 ppb),
London Southwark Roadside (39 ppb), London Sutton Roadside (26 ppb),
London Tower Hamlets Roadside (37 ppb), London Victoria (31 ppb),
London Wandsworth (28 ppb), Manchester Piccadilly (22 ppb),
Manchester Town Hall (27 ppb), Newcastle Centre (21 ppb), Norwich Roadside (21 ppb), Nottingham Centre (23 ppb), Reading (25 ppb), Salford Eccles (23 ppb),
Sheffield Centre (24 ppb), Sheffield Tinsley (26 ppb), Southampton Centre (23 ppb), Stockport (23 ppb), Walsall Alumwell (24 ppb).
High levels of nitrogen dioxide may aggravate asthma symptoms, can cause a tightening of the chest and reduce lung function. By disrupting the body's natural cleansing mechanisms, nitrogen dioxide may increase the body's susceptibility to viral infections. The overwhelming source of nitrogen dioxide in London is road traffic.
Contact details:
Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood St.
LONDON
N1 7JQ
Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html
Media team
