EU parliament fails to close loopholes in controversial car emission tests 

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Respro® UK Ltd

MEPs fail to veto proposal that will allow cars to emit twice the limit of NOx pollution following pressure from pro-car industry countries

MEPs have failed to veto loopholes in air pollution limits on new diesel cars, despite public anger in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions scandal.

Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions will now be allowed at twice the EU’s 80mg per km limit from 2019 and 50% more from 2021, despite the exemptions being deemed unlawful in a separate vote by the parliament’s legal committee last night.

At a Strasbourg vote today, MEPs rejected the proposal by 323 votes to 317 – 53 votes short of the absolute majority needed under EU voting rules.

The UK shadow transport minister, Richard Burden, said that MEPs had been put in “an impossible position” by implied threats from several countries – including the UK – to delay the introduction of the new Euro 6 regulations, unless the weakened limits were adopted.

“Government departments colluding in delays to the legislation at earlier crucial stages of this process is not acceptable,” he told the Guardian. “One part of this government appears not to know what the other part is doing.”

The issue of NOx pollution exploded as a political issue in September when Volkwagen was caught using sophisticated software programmes to cheat emissions tests, producing up to 40 times more pollution than allowed.

The RAC’s director, Steve Gooding, hailed today’s vote as “a step in the right direction” as it would cut average NOx emissions from seven times the legal limit to two times.

The automobile industry has argued that it needs “clarity” about the demands being placed on it under the new Real Driving Emissions (RDE) tests. Carmakers say the exemptions in the Euro 6 regulations offer them a vital margin of error in dealing with new measuring equipment.

However, the EU’s science wing, the Joint Research Centre, has estimated testing uncertainties at no more than 20%. Campaigners say that the decision to place the bar at 50% was thus political – and unlawful, given the regulations’ requirement that air quality laws be progressively tightened.

“There’s only one way out of this scandal and that is to have an early review of the flexibility in the new test in 2017,” said Greg Archer, an expert at theTransport and Environment thinktank.

Several MEPs credit pressure from several governments sensitive to car industry demands – and some trades unions – with splitting socialist and liberal groupings in parliament. Sixty-one lawmakers abstained from the RDE vote, enough to have swung the decision the other way.

“Today was a good day for dirty deals and a bad day for cleaner air but the close vote shows there remains strong opposition to the weakening of emission limits,” said the Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder.

The UK government said that it “strongly supports the current RDE agreement” in an advice document to MEPs seen by the Guardian. The deal would “significantly reduce real world NOx emissions from new diesel cars from 2017,” it argues, going on to say that any delay in its approval would be “likely to result in a significant delay to [its] implementation”.

Even countries with a higher environmental profile, such as Denmark, called on MEPs to back the new exemptions. A letter from the country’s environment minister, Eva Kjer Hansen, stressed that the “conformity factor” allowing a 50% breach of the NOx standard “will be reviewed by the commission and adjusted accordingly. This is a clear result of pressure from Denmark.”

Health professionals though reacted angrily to the news from Strasbourg. The UK’s annual death rate is thought to be about 4% higher because of respiratory illnesses caused by NOx, such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis.

“Today’s vote in the European parliament is a disaster,” said Dr Penny Woods, the chief executive of the British Lung Foundation. “After the VW emissions affair, now is not the time to weaken legal limits on diesel cars. If the UK government is serious about cleaning up the air we breathe, this decision cannot go unchallenged.”

The Dutch Green MEP, Bas Eickhout, said that a legal petition to the Europeancourt of justice was still possible, and called on mayors and city leaders across the continent to take the lead.

“It would be positive if local authorities and mayors pushed their governments to act,” he said. “They are having to take drastic measures such as kicking cars out of city centres while at the same time we are allowing cars to double their emissions at the EU level. If I was mayor of London, I would certainly challenge that.”

Source: EU parliament fails to close loopholes in controversial car emission tests | Environment | The Guardian

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Brexit would return Britain to being ‘dirty man of Europe’ 

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Respro® UK Ltd

Leading group of environmentalists warns that leaving the European Union would mean a return to filthy beaches, foul air and weak conservation laws

Industrial pollution from Europe and dust from the Sahara region creates a layer of smog over London in April 2014. Photograph: Mike Kemp/In Pictures/Corbis

Britain risks becoming the “dirty man of Europe” again with filthy beaches, foul air and weak conservation laws if it leaves the European Union, a group of leading environmentalists warned on Wednesday.

The steering committee of the new E4E (Environmentalists for Europe) group includes former ministers, a former EU commissioner and a former head of the Environment Agency. It will work with green groups to persuade people that leaving the EU could set back the UK’s nature protection and prevention of pollution many years. The UK’s referendum on EU membership may come as soon as June.

“The EU has a strong track record of tangible environmental improvement,” said Green party MP Caroline Lucas, a former MEP and a member of the group that launched on Wednesday. “It was the EU’s political decision in 1990 to cap emissions of greenhouse gases by 2000 that formed the cornerstone of the 1992 UN climate convention.

“Britons have the EU to thank for [many of the] protections we have in place. It’s EU standards on air pollution that are forcing the government to clean up its act and key EU rules on healthy rivers, clean beaches and wildlife conservation have had a very positive effect,” she said.

E4E co-chair Baroness Young, a former chair of English Nature and chief executive of the Environment Agency, said: “The environment doesn’t stop at country borders and UK air and water quality depends on agreement with our European neighbours on high standards. Europe’s environmental policy has grown to become the core framework in most areas of environmental policy.”

The green vote, which stretches across political parties and collectively represents up to 7 million people, has traditionally wanted strong European pollution and conservation rules. But, says E4E, in its mission statement, “far too often environmental issues have been brushed aside by national parliaments”.

Craig Bennett, director of Friends of the Earth and also part of E4E, said: “As a boy, trips to the coast were often spoiled by filthy beaches and sewage-filled seas. The prevalence of acid rain won us the title of ‘dirty man of Europe’. Thanks to EU action, this now a thing of the past. The UK cannot win the battles of the future – against climate change, air pollution and the destruction of the natural world – on its own.”

Britain was dubbed “the dirty man of Europe” after it joined the EU in 1973 because it was the only country in western Europe that failed to control pollution from cars, power stations and farming, tried to undermine European pesticide controls, and evaded nitrate regulations and bathing water directives. Legal pressure and the threat of unlimited fines forced it to clean up its act, but it still breaches laws on air pollution and water quality.

“A Britain outside the EU could in theory follow Norway and set high environmental standards,” said Stephen Tindale, a former head of Greenpeace who is not part of the group. “But most UK politicians regard them as ‘green frippery’. In practice, a UK outside the EU would be much more likely to return to being ‘the dirty man of Europe’.”

Former EU environment commissioner Stanley Johnson, a co-chair of the E4E group, said: “By being in [the EU], Britain benefits from environmental legislation and funding not only for the fight against climate change and pollution and in its efforts to preserve nature and wildlife, but also through the creation of jobs and financing for research and development here at home.”

“I personally believe that our country’s greatest resource – its nature – will be better protected and better preserved for future generations if we remain an active, full, partner within Europe,” he said.

“It is European directives which have forced the sewage out of Britain’s bathing waters and the acid rain out of Britain’s atmosphere; which are getting rid of the most dangerous chemicals in our environment and the carbon pollution of our motor vehicles; which are pushing the clean-up of our rivers and the switch to renewable energy; and which, of course, are watching over our wildlife, and that of the rest of Europe,” said nature author and journalist Michaelke McCarthy, also part of E4E.

Other members of the E4E steering committee include Lord Deben, chair of the UK Climate Change Committee which advises the government, former environment minister Richard Benyon MP, Matthew Spencer, director of the Green Alliance and conservationist and comedian Bill Oddie.

Source: Brexit would return Britain to being ‘dirty man of Europe’ | Environment | The Guardian

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Expert tips to deal with choking air pollution 

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Respro® UK Ltd

The city has been enveloped in a heavy layer of smog caused by a fire last week at the Deonar dumping ground. It released hazardous gases into the air, raising the pollution levels to a dangerous point and is causing breathing difficulties. The Municipal Corporation (BMC) shut down 74 schools for two days as the smoke engulfed the area and those commuting to work felt its effects, too. And the situation is not likely to abate any time soon, say officials.’

Very poor’ conditions

On Monday though the pollution level in Mumbai fell, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was still said to be in the ‘very poor’ category and worse than that of Delhi. A report quotes the System for Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) saying the AQI for Mumbai in the morning recently was 308; it reduced only marginally by evening, to 304. Among among the most polluted areas in the suburbs were Chembur (363), which is close to Deonar and Andheri (355). According to the Regional Meteorological Department, it will be a few days before things improve. Says Shubhangi Bhute, director MET dept., Mumbai, “The air quality level is very poor in the city. PM (particulate matter) 2.5 is quite high at 329 (for Navi Mumbai) and for Deonar it is 366. This is quite alarming. The existing winter conditions, with prevailing northerly winds and pollution, is adding to the situation and it will take a while for this to settle.”

Doctors give out warnings

The deadly haze is adding to breathing discomfort and is worse for those with prevalent asthma and lung conditions. Says Dr Prashant Chhajed, “The cases of those suffering from bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, runny nose and watery eyes has increased in the last few days. This pollution level rise can be dangerous for breathing and individuals having asthma must continue with regular medication, especially at this time. Anyone with symptoms of chest tightness, cough and breathlessness must seek medical attention immediately,” he cautions. High levels of pollutants can raise carbon monoxide levels in the blood, which escalates illnesses. Adds Dr Hasmukh Ravat, senior interventional cardiologist, “For a city like Mumbai where we already have too much construction and vehicular pollution, any addition to this makes things worse, with kids and senior citizens having a greater chance of getting respiratory infection at this time. The hazardous smoke can lead to a spike in blood pressure, which in turn can lead to pressure on the heart. There has been a case of a person who got a heart attack owing to the smoke, and he had to immediately have angioplasty,” he warns.

Resembles a gas chamber

Meanwhile as per reports, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed concern over the incident, saying if proper preventive measures were not taken, our cities could resemble gas chambers. “The situation could be similar to what was done by Hitler (whose regime built the infamous gas chambers for killing the people),” he said.

Source: Expert tips to deal with choking air pollution – Times of India

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Air pollution from Europe’s planes set to rise by nearly half 

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Respro® UK Ltd

EU study predicts 43% rise in NOx emissions from planes within two decades, due to increased air traffic

Air pollution from planes in Europe is to rise by nearly half in the next two decades, according to the EU’s first aviation environment report.

Aircraft emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are linked to lung damage, doubled since 1990 and are forecast to rise 43% by 2035.

The increase so far tracks a rise in the number of flights over the last 25 years, and a similar jump in the sector’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Airlines have reduced their planes’ NOx emissions in the last decade as the Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) has tightened standards. But the improvements are coming too slowly, the report says.

“We expect that the increase in growth in the air transport sector is going to offset those technological and operational efficiencies, leading to an absolute increase in emissions,” an official with the European Aviation Safety Agency told the Guardian.

NOx is an indirect greenhouse gas created by fuel combustion, that can lead to the formation of health-damaging air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM).

Around 23,500 Britons die prematurely each year from exposure to NOx, according to provisional government figures. Another 29,000 people die early from the effects of PM pollution.

High NOx concentrations around airports are a particular public health concern with Heathrow airport breaching safety limits in several different locations and times in 2012, according to its own measurements.

The UK government has been in beach of EU air quality laws since 2010, but a cleanup plan published in December did not envisage cities such as London becoming compliant for another decade.
Campaigners say that increasing emissions standards during aircraft landings and take offs would have the double benefit of protecting people who live close to airports and cutting the cruise emissions of airplanes in the future, as better engines are developed.

“The doubling of NOx emissions from aviation since 1990 is having a huge impact on our health and climate,” said Andrew Murphy, the aviation and shipping officer for Transport and Environment. “EU and international policies need to be urgently strengthened to reverse this trend, and that must include tighter emissions standards.”

The EU’s transport commissioner, Violeta Bulc, said that the report was intended to feed into international discussions on reducing planes’ emissions.

“Aviation brings significant economic and social benefits to Europe, but also has an impact on the environment,” she said. “In 2016, the EU will reach out to its partners to take global and ambitious steps.”

That process will begin in earnest in Montreal next week when a committee of the UN International Civil Aviation Organization meets to discuss a new CO2 standard for planes, and market measures to drive emissions down.

Source: Air pollution from Europe’s planes set to rise by nearly half | Environment | The Guardian

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Exposure to high levels of air pollution associated with higher risk of preterm birth 

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Respro® UK Ltd

Exposure to high levels of small particle air pollution is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth — before 37 weeks of pregnancy, according to a new study published online in the journal Environmental Health.

The study, by researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati, identified a 19 percent increased risk, with the greatest risk when high exposure occurred during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Diesel exhaust particles make up a substantial portion of particulate matter in urban areas. The size of particles is linked to their potential for causing health problems. Smaller particles have greater potential to be inhaled into the lungs and can cause serious health problems, including several heart and pulmonary diseases.

“Although the risk increase is modest, the potential impact is robust, as all pregnant women are potentially at risk,” says Emily DeFranco, DO, a physician-researcher at the Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth at Cincinnati Children’s and an associate professor of maternal-fetal medicine at the University of Cincinnati. “We estimate that decreasing the amount of particulate matter in the air below the EPA’s standard threshold could decrease preterm birth in women exposed to high levels of small particulates by about 17 percent, which corresponds to a 2.22 percent decrease in the preterm birth rate in the population as a whole.”

The researchers studied birth records in Ohio between 2007 and 2010. The population included nearly 225,000 singleton (not multiples) live births. Of these, more than 19,000 births were preterm. The birth records were linked to average daily measures of fine particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less in width. These measures were recorded by 57 EPA network air monitoring stations across the state. The vast majority of births, 97 percent, occurred in very urban areas, where most monitoring stations are located and exposure levels likely to be highest.

Preterm birth rates were higher among mothers exposed to high levels of airborne particle pollution above the EPA standard, as well as among mothers 40 or older, black mothers, and women with no prenatal care or with lower education level.

In 2015, Dr. DeFranco published a study in the journal PLOS One showing that exposure to high levels of particulate matter in the third trimester of pregnancy was associated with a 42 percent increased risk of stillbirth.

Also last year, the American Lung Association named the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville statistical area as the nation’s 8th most polluted by year-round particle pollution. The Cleveland-Akron-Canton area ranked 10th.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Source: Exposure to high levels of air pollution associated with higher risk of preterm birth — ScienceDaily

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REVIEW: Choosing an Air Pollution Mask for China

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Respro® UK Ltd

It’s not something we typically think about while preparing for a trip – what will the air quality be like? Destinations like the Faroe Islands are known for having superb air quality, but what about big cities in Asia? While preparing for a recent trip to Qatar and China, I had a lot of questions about choosing an air pollution mask for China, especially since everyone kept warning me about how smoggy it can get in Beijing and Shanghai.

I decided to investigate it a little further, partly out of curiosity and partly because my father and I (we were traveling together) both suffer from allergies. I knew that popping a Zyrtec wasn’t going to cut it.

My father wearing his pollution mask at the Drum Tower

This is my story with a few tips and photos from my trip for anyone trying to choose the best air pollution mask for China.

First, I explored all the options available. Basically, there are a myriad of air pollution masks, but not all are created equal. Let’s get started with the three basic types.

Types of Air Pollution Masks

Surgical Masks

This is your basic surgical mask. As you might imagine, it’s exactly what a surgeon wears in the operating room to protect the patient from any contaminants from his/her saliva. It also protects the surgeon from inhaling or ingesting any fluids from the patient.

Pros: In terms of comfort, they are quite comfortable because they hardly weigh anything at all. They are typically made of cotton and are inexpensive (about 80 cents each). Great for mild days when allergens may be present, which is a very rare occurrence in China.

Cons: These masks do not fit well against the face, even when you pinch the metal band at the bridge of the nose. They don’t create a seal to block out air pollutants and they have no filter, which is what contributes to their dismal filtering efficiency rating of 57 (A rating of 100% indicates a perfect seal where nothing can get in or out). When I was in China I saw hundreds of people wearing surgical masks and it made me sick to my stomach to think of the false sense of security they had. Then again, there were others with no mask at all, which is also pretty scary to think about when you consider the recent story of a Chinese artist whose air pollution vacuum video went viral. He literally made a brick (yes, a brick) from the pollutants he managed to collect by just walking around Beijing with an industrial vacuum.

Overall: Don’t do it. All you will be getting is a false sense of protection with a mask that you can’t adjust. 

Disposable Masks

These are masks that you can wear a few times before tossing. They were developed with factory and construction workers in mind so they are meant to create a good seal around the face to stop any particles from entering the nose or mouth. A popular model is the 3M® 9332 with exhalation valve to remove moisture from the face (see below).

Pros: Price point is excellent. A single mask will run you about $5.50, depending wear you buy it. It also has an excellent filtering efficiency of over 90%.

Cons: If you want to look like you’re headed to a nuclear plant disaster or anthrax contaminated zone, then this is the mask for you! No, seriously they are not very attractive and have to be thrown away after 3-4 uses, or until they start getting grayish, indicating they are dirty. That’s because you can’t change the filter. Additionally, they aren’t going to stay put during exercise or outdoor activities like extensive sightseeing around Beijing.

Overall: This is a good mask if you don’t plan on spending too much time outdoors in a place where there is significant air pollution.

Reusable Masks

My father wearing his Respro® Cinqro™ mask with a special HEPA filter

Reusable masks are those that allow you to change out the filter, which means once you’ve got a keeper, it’s yours to keep. They typically come in a variety of prints and colors, and are perfect for frequent travelers like myself. Respro® is a brand of reusable pollution mask that has created more than 15 models, each designed for a specific lifestyle in mind, whether it’s playing sports in freezing temperatures, or reducing allergies in urban places.

Here I am admiring the view of the Forbidden City one particularly smoggy afternoon

Pros: Brands like Respro® offer you choices so you’re not just stuck with a white clinical-looking mask (although they have those models too). These masks typically come in different sizes so you can find the perfect fit (this is the key!) Once you have it, you can just change out the filters and keep using the same mask. They are made out of fabric and are machine washable, which is nice if you want to freshen it up in the washing machine. They are also ideal for biking or playing sports (or sightseeing around Beijing trying to cram all the main sites in like my father and I).

Cons: Reusable pollution masks are the priciest of the three ($40 – $65) and filter refills are sold separately. For most models, filters must be replaced after 50-70 hours of use.

Overall: Reusable masks cost more, but at least you can pick the “look” you want. The mask I used (Respro City Mask) has a charcoal filter that is ideal for “regular” days in China. By this, I mean days with an API of “Good” to “Unhealthy” (0-200 API). I wore it in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an and never once experienced an irritation or allergy attack.

Choosing an Air Pollution Mask for China

So, how do you choose the right mask?

It all depends on fit, which is why I went with the Respro. I liked how the neoprene fabric stretched over my face to create a good seal while still being comfortable, and that I could wear it with sunglasses without a problem. I also didn’t get any moisture buildup in the mask, which was one of my main concerns.

Dangers of Air Pollution 

There are plenty of people who go mask-free in China, which, after learning about air pollutants, makes me cringe. According to the World Bank, 16 of the world’s top 20 cities with the worst air pollution are in China. The main source of all this pollution? Coal. China’s primary source of electricity comes from coal – about 6 million tons are burned daily. Add vehicle emissions and other sources and you’ve got a deadly smog cocktail made up of cancer-causing gases and particles.

This is exactly why protecting your lungs is important and why I wanted to write about my experience choosing an air pollution mask for China.

Images: David Hoffmann

Source: Choosing an Air Pollution Mask for China – David’s Been Here

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Nepal’s air pollution among worst

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Respro® UK Ltd

Nepal continues to rank among the worst four performers in protecting the human health and environment due to degrading air quality.

The latest Environment Performance Index (EPI) 2016 released this week at the World Economic Forum puts Nepal 177 among 180 countries in terms of air quality. India, China and Bangladesh are the only countries performing worse than Nepal in an effort to improve the dramatic decline in air quality—a leading cause of death worldwide—accounting for 5.5 million deaths in 2013.
It has ranked Nepal 149 among 180 countries, in overall performance. Finland is ranked on the top with Somalia in the bottom in EPI ranking released biennially. The previous EPI ranked Nepal at 139 in 2014.
The index, a Yale University-based initiative, measures national and global protection of ecosystems and human health from environmental harm, draws out trends and highlights data gaps in priority areas including air quality, water management, and climate change.
Under the air quality, one of the nine assessment areas to determine the overall EPI ranking, the exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, and percentage of the population burning solid fuel indoors were measured. The particulate matter (PM 2.5) is considered one of the most harmful air pollutants that lodge into human lungs and blood tissues, increasing the chances of lung cancer and other life-threatening respiratory diseases, among others.
“Air pollution has emerged as a biggest environmental health risk for the country, particularly for Kathmandu where the rapid urbanisation and population growth makes the situation even worse,” said Dhiraj Pokharel of the Society for Legal and Environmental Analysis and Development Research (Leaders Nepal), an NGO working on indoor air pollution. Over the years, the government has made no significant effort to improve the air quality and mitigate the risks except for introducing policies and programmes but lacking implementation, he said. “We are still struggling to have a research on identifying the sources of harmful air pollutants, and level of exposures to human life,” Pokharel said.
The EPI report says that 75 percent of the total populations in Nepal and India are exposed to unsafe levels of fine particulate matters as air pollution is a growing global problem. It situation is worse in rapidly developing economies like China and India than in wealthy and very poor countries. The report mentioned that many Asian and African countries have not fared well in addressing environmental problems, including air quality as all have broad governance problems with long, troubled legacies. “Only well-functioning governments are able to manage the environment for the benefit of all,” the report added.

Source: The Kathmandu Post :: Nepal’s air pollution among worst

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Leeds named hotspot for air pollution deaths as epidemic costs local NHS £480m

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Respro® UK Ltd

Almost 700 people in Leeds will die this year from illnesses related to air pollution, with an overall cost to the local health economy of £480m, it has been claimed.

Newly released research from environmental campaign group Global Action Plan (GAP) – based on World Health Organisation and regional Public Health data – predicts there will be 2,567 premature adult deaths in Yorkshire this year from bad air quality.

Leeds is the worst regional hotspot – and third nationally – with 680 predicted deaths in 2016.

The projection for Wakefield is 178, Bradford 222, Sheffield 500 and York 82.

The campaign group has now launched a five-point manifesto urging local authorities – which oversee public health matters – to help curb the toll of the silent killer.

GAP’s research found that air pollution costs Leeds more than obesity, one of the biggest national health challenges. Air pollution costs Leeds £480m, while obesity costs £304m.

Caroline Watson, partner at GAP, said: “You might imagine the deaths and illnesses that result from air pollution were consigned to the history books when Leeds was in the midst of the Industrial Revolution, but today’s research shows that at least 680 will die early this year. That is simply unacceptable. Individual people must be empowered to take steps to avoid pollution’s worst effects.

“Air pollution is not just an environmental threat it is a public health risk. Our five-point manifesto shows the council that there are steps they could take to improve the lives of the people who live here.”

The group has today launched its Air Quality Manifesto, setting out how the city might reduce the impact of poor air quality. Its five point plan includes practical solutions such as car free days in Leeds City Centre.

One GAP initiative, the Cleaner Air Programme, has already seen the introduction of Clean Air Zones around hospitals in other parts of the UK. The group is now looking to bring the idea to Leeds.

Simon Bowens, Yorkshire campaign lead for Friends of the Earth, said: “Air pollution is the second biggest cause of premature death after smoking in Leeds and across Yorkshire and yet many of the thousands of these deaths are avoidable.

“The proposals within the Air Quality Manifesto are welcome and a Clean Air Zone is needed to get the dirtiest vehicles off our roads, but ambitious action needs to be taken to reduce traffic in the worst affected areas.

“Local action by councils and central Government to promote public transport and active travel such as walking and cycling is essential.”

“Devolved transport spending needs to be targeted at reducing traffic and pollution and not on building roads which will just stimulate traffic growth.”

A spokesman for Leeds City Council said: “The council has been working on a number of initiatives to help tackle air pollution in the city, including working to improve our own fleet, for example seeking to use Compressed Natural Gas for our council refuse collection vehicles, fitting solar panels to our own buildings and more than 1,000 council homes and encouraging people to use sustainable transport and seeing where we can influence others or help the transport industry to make positive changes.

“We are also encouraging businesses, communities and individuals to think about ways they may be able to contribute to cutting pollution with the aim of improving both air quality and public health in the city.

“We are always keen to work with groups and organisations who may be able to help and will look very closely at any proposals to see if they will help us achieve these goals.”

As previously reported, Leeds is one of seven cities in England at risk of missing European targets on air quality – which come into force in 2020 – and could face financial penalties.

Public Health England has previously estimated that long term exposure to pollution contributed to 5.5 per cent of all adult deaths in the city in 2010.

Nitrogen Dioxide is estimated to be responsible for 23,500 deaths in the UK each year, while a further 29,000 are killed by particulates – which are tiny particles of soot.

Source: Leeds named hotspot for air pollution deaths as epidemic costs local NHS £480m – Yorkshire Evening Post

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