UK Action on Air Pollution

Air Pollution: Action in a Changing Climate (24 page pdf, Dept. Food, Environment and Rural Affairs, UK, March 2010)

Key Quotes:

“The air pollutants of greatest concern in the UK now are PM, NOX, ozone (O3) and NH3.“

“we have seen a shift in the dominant sources of air pollutants… these were mainly industry and domestic heating, today they are dominated by large combustion plants, particularly those used for power generation, and by transport.“

“PM2.5 alone [in 2005] reduced the average life expectancy of people living in the UK by 7-8 months and imposed an annual cost of £18 billion, within the range of £9-20 billion…average reduction in life expectancy is now 6 months and the annual cost £15 billion, within the range of £8-17 billion…the economic cost of physical inactivity and obesity in urban areas has been estimated as in excess of £10 billion per annum3.“

“‘hotspots’ where limits for PM10 and NO2 are not yet met are in densely populated urban areas, so human exposure is significant.“

“Electricity generation and road transport are two of the most significant sources of both air quality and climate pollutants. Other sources include shipping (NOX and CO2), agriculture (NH3, nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4), and biomass burning (PM, NOX and N2O).“

“further improvements to air quality including the introduction of a third phase to the London Low Emission Zone for light vehicles and in due course extending the zone to cover NOX emissions from vehicles. The GLA believes that the measures in the strategy will reduce NOX emissions by up to 40% by 2015 and, coupled with natural turnover, PM10 emissions by up to 30% by 2012.“

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