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IT'S A CHOKER! LONDONERS COUGH AND WHEEZE IN WORST SMOG OF YEAR

12 Aug 1998

The hot weather has meant “hell” for thousands of Londoners, Friends of the Earth warned today. Recent days have seen London's worst smog so far this year.

New data released by Friends of the Earth [1] shows that Levels of ozone - summertime smog - broke Government health standards at 12 of the capital's 15 monitoring sites both Monday and yesterday [2].

Smog levels above health standards have been measured at Bexley, Bloomsbury, Brent,Eltham, Hackney, Haringey, Lewisham, North Kensington, Southwark, Sutton, Teddington,Victoria and Wandsworth. All of these sites exceeded standards on both days, apart from Bloomsbury which exceeded only on Monday, and Lewisham only yesterday.

Earlier this year, Government experts revealed that ozone could cause up to 12,500 premature deaths every year in Britain [3].

Tony Bosworth, Friends of the Earth's Air Pollution Campaigner, said:

“Smog makes life hell for thousands of Londoners. We have to get people out of their cars, and fast. John Prescott has said he wants to see better alternatives to car travel. But we want action: new money for better buses, better trains and better cycling facilities. Summer heat should be fun, not a short route to a 999 call.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1]    Ozone is created when nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react, triggered by sunlight. In London, 75%of nitrogen oxides and 52% of hydrocarbons come from road traffic. Ozone 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.

[2]    The Government's national air quality standard for ozone requires that levels should not exceed 50 parts per billion (ppb) as an average over any 8-hour period.

[3]     Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants “Quantification of the Effects of Air Pollution on Health in the United Kingdom”, January 1998.

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