Archived press release

Government risks prosecution as london pollution breaks european law

23 May 2005

Air pollution levels in London are breaking European law, Friends of the Earth revealed today. The Government could face prosecution by the European Commission as levels of fine particles at a monitoring site on Marylebone Road exceeded European standards for the 36th day this year [1]. Under EU law, from 2005 onwards, particle levels should not exceed standards on more than 35 days a year. Computer modeling suggests that the EU law is probably also being broken across the West End [2].

The breach will embarrass Ministers, not least the new Transport Minister Karen Buck MP who is responsible for traffic in London. The monitoring site where the breach has been recorded is just yards from the boundary of Ms Buck's constituency. It will also embarrass the Mayor, Ken Livingstone and Westminster City Council who share responsibility for tackling pollution in the area. Studies show that the major source of particle pollution in Westminster is from road traffic [3].

Friends of the Earth's London Campaign Co-ordinator, Jenny Bates said:

"This breach proves that the Government, the Mayor and Westminster City Council aren't doing enough to tackle traffic pollution in central London. They must immediately bring forward new measures to cut traffic or ban the dirtiest vehicles. The health of hundreds of thousands of Londoners is at risk."

Fine particles (known as PM10) are associated with a range of health effects including higher death rates and increases in respiratory disease and asthma attacks. [4]

Notes

[1] European air quality laws specify that, by 31st December 2004, average daily concentrations of small particles (PM10) must not exceed 50μg/m3 on more than 35 days in any year. National governments were to designate Air Quality Management Areas and to draw up plans such that this target would be met. Local authorities have declared Air Quality Management Areas across much of West London, yet average daily concentrations of small particles (PM10) at the Government's monitoring station, on Marylebone Road opposite Madam Tussauds, have now exceeded 50μg/m3 on 36 days this year.
The UK National Air Quality Information Archive

[2] Westminster City Council "Review and assessment of air quality in the City of Westminster: post AQMA declaration and review (Stage 4) (PDF)" June 2000.

[3] Westminster City Council "Further assessment of air quality in the City of Westminster: an update on the Stage 4 AQMA declaration (Stage 4b) (PDF)" (September 2002).

[4] A Department of Health advisory committee concluded as long ago as in 1995 that "there is clear evidence of associations between concentrations of particles similar to those encountered currently in the UK, and changes in a number of indicators of damage to health. These range from changes in lung function through increased symptoms and days of restricted activity to hospital admissions and mortality." See the Committee on the Medical Effect of Air Pollution's 1995 report "Non-biological particles and health".

See also the 1995 report of the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust