Archived press release

Britons suffering health-threatening pollution up to one day in five

25 September 1997

Health-threatening pollution hits some parts of the UK as often as once every five days it was revealed today. The data, analysed by Friends of the Earth, comes from official Government monitoring stations around the country. On Saturday 27 September thousands of people will attend a mass rally in Trafalgar Square, London, to call on the Government to support a new law to reduce road traffic - the major source of air pollution. Comedian and writer Ben Elton will be amongst the speakers.

Friends of the Earth's survey reveals that [1]:

*Levels of ozone [2] have exceeded Government health standards on 55 days so far this year at Lullington Heath in Sussex, and 42 days so far this year in Rochester and Somerton (Somerset);

*Levels of particulates [3] have exceeded Government health standards on 40 days so far this year in Central Leeds and Port Talbot, and on 34 days so far this year in Camden and Belfast;

*Almost every Government monitoring station recording levels of ozone and particulates has recorded breaches of Government health standards at some time this year.

The Fuming Mad rally has been called because of the growing concern about too much traffic on our roads. The rally will call on the Government to support a new law - The Road Traffic Reduction [UK Targets] Bill [4] - which will set national targets for reducing road traffic. The Bill is already backed by 330 MPs [5]. Organised by Friends of the Earth, Plaid Cymru, the Green Party, The Townswomen's Guilds, the National Federation of Womens Institutes and the National Asthma Campaign, the rally will also draw attention to the need for tough international targets for combatting dangerous climate change [6].

Pollution from traffic is one of the population's main concerns. A survey released last week by the National Society for Clean Air [7] showed that 30 per cent of people said that traffic pollution worried them "a great deal", with almost 65 per cent worrying at least "a fair

amount".

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

""Every year thousands of people die prematurely as a result of traffic related pollution.Urgent action is needed to allow us to breathe clean and healthy air - this is why the Government should give its backing to a new law - the Road Traffic Reduction [UK Targets]Bill - setting national targets for reducing traffic."

"People are right to be worried about air pollution. But rather than sitting at home fuming,they should come to the Fuming Mad rally in Trafalgar Square on Saturday afternoon and demand action to reduce traffic and clean up our air".

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] See attached table

[2] 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. It is estimated that particulates cause 10,000 premature deaths every year in Britain. Road traffic is a major source of particulates, especially in towns and cities.

[3]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.

[4]The Road Traffic Reduction [UK Targets] Bill - drafted by Friends of the Earth, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru - has been introduced to Parliament as a Private Members Bill by Plaid Cymru MP, Cynog Dafis. The Bill, which would lead to a 5 per cent reduction by 2005, and a 10 per cent cut by 2010 (based on 1990 levels), is due to be discussed early in the new year.

[5]A list of MPs supporting the Bill is available on request.

[6]In December, World governments meet in Kyoto, Japan to decide on ways of tackling climate change. Friends of the Earth is urging the UK Government to show international leadership and press for a 20 per cent cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2005.

[7]Traffic pollution - still top of the public agenda: NSCA 18th September - survey by MORI.

Number of days exceeding Government health standard - 50 parts per billion as 8-hour rolling mean)

Aston Hill (Mid Wales)30
Barnsley Gawber16
Belfast Centre7
Birmingham Centre7
Birmingham East21
Bolton12
Bottesford (Nottinghamshire)21
Bristol Centre6
Bury Roadside0
Bush (Mid Scotland)13
Cardiff Centre12
Coventry Centre6
Derry6
Edinburgh Centre2
Eskdalemuir (South Scotland)23
Exeter Roadside16
Glasgow1
Glazebury (Cheshire)18
Great Dun Fell (Cumbria)7
Harwell (Oxfordshire)38
High Muffles (North Yorkshire)27
Hull Centre7
Ladybower (Derbyshire)29
Leamington Spa22
Leeds Centre3
Leicester Centre19
Liverpool Centre7
London Bexley17
London Bloomsbury3
London Brent20
London Eltham30
London Hackney1
London Harringey16
London Hillingdon1
London Kensington10
London Lewisham3
London Southwark5
London Sutton13
London Teddington36
London Victoria5
London Wandsworth5
Lough Navar (Northern Ireland)12
Lullington Heath (Sussex)55
Manchester Piccadilly11
Manchester South3
Middlesbrough10
Narberth (Pembrokeshire)11
Newcastle Centre4
Norwich Centre14
Nottingham Centre10
Port Talbot20
Reading6
Redcar12
Rochester42
Rotherham Centre8
Salford Eccles14
Sandwell Oldbury8
Sheffield Centre7
Sibton (East Anglia)36
Somerton (South Somerset)42
Southampton Centre6
Stoke on Trent Centre20
Strath Vaich (North Scotland)18
Swansea Centre13
Thurrock23
Wolverhampton Centre25
Yarner Wood (Devon)18

2PARTICULATES

Number of days exceeding Government health standard - 50 micrograms per cubic metre as 24-hour rolling mean

Belfast Centre34
Birmingham East7
Birmingham Centre7
Bolton5
Bristol Centre12
Bury Roadside26
Cardiff Centre12
Derry0
Edinburgh Centre3
Glasgow Centre8
Glasgow Kerbside29
Hull Centre10
Leamington Spa4
Leeds Centre40
Leicester Centre6
Liverpool Centre14
London Bexley17
London Bloomsbury19
London Brent14
London Camden34
London Eltham11
London Harringey25
London Hillingdon19
London Kensington19
London Kingston Roadside14
London Marylebone Road18
London Sutton19
Lough Navar (Northern Ireland)0
Manchester Piccadilly10
Middlesbrough19
Narberth (Pembrokeshire)0
Newcastle Centre4
Norwich Centre3
Nottingham Centre11
Port Talbot40
Reading0
Redcar3
Rochester5
Salford Eccles5
Sheffield Centre19
Southampton Centre9
Stockport9
Stoke on Trent Centre9
Swansea Centre9
Thurrock11
Wolverhampton Centre11

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust