Anonymous AIR0008
Anonymous written evidence
| Page No |
Index | 1 |
Executive Summary | 2 |
Personal Story | 3 |
1. What evidence exists of the extent of air pollution directly or indirectly impacting health of individuals or communities in England? |
4 |
2. What evidence exists to demonstrate the impact of the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London, and other Clean Air Zones nationwide, on reducing public health risks or improving health outcomes within areas where they have been introduced? |
4 |
3. Are the current national targets for outdoor air pollution ambitious and wide-ranging enough to provide adequate protection for public health and the environment in a) rural and b) urban areas? |
5 |
4. Are measures currently in place, and those proposed in the revised Air Quality Strategy for England, sufficient to achieve national targets? |
6 |
5. What are major barriers and challenges to achieving national targets on air quality? | 6 |
6. Does the Government provide sufficient funding and devolved powers to local authorities in England to improve local air quality? If not, what additional funding or devolved powers are required? | 6 |
7. What are the long-term health impacts of indoor air pollution? | 7 |
8. What steps can the Government take to improve indoor air quality? | 7 |
9. What are the differential impacts, geographically, and across socioeconomic groups, of poor outdoor and indoor air quality? Are measures to address poor air quality appropriately targeted? | 8 |
10. How well is the Government spreading awareness of the impacts of poor air quality and promoting action being taken to tackle the issue? | 9 |
11. How well is the Government coordinating measures between national and local actors to improve air quality, both outdoors and indoors?
| 9 |
12. Government performance on targets for air pollution | 10 |
Links/References | 10 |
Executive Summary
This submission to The Environmental Audit Committee is a personal plea for action by the government to legislate at a national level to ensure that the arrangements to control air pollution are applied consistently across the country and not left to a piecemeal approach by individual Local Councils and ensure whatever authority is responsible for controlling and stopping air pollution sources be it Central or Local Government are required to act to address the real and serious health harms that uncontrolled carcinogenic fine particulate (PM2.5) air pollution causes.
The Government should take steps to ;
• Manage and legislate on the use of residential solid fuel burning (coal and wood) in all homes,
• Introduce education for the public on the harms solid fuel burning can cause and;
• Introduce stronger controls to ensure control on residential solid fuel burning that causes high levels of dangerous and carcinogenic small particulate air pollution, are fully harmonised across the country with an aim to;
• Bring about a dramatic reduction in domestic solid fuel (wood) burning and ensure it is phased out as soon as possible by no later than 2030.
Personal Story
My family and I have been seriously affected by the increasing level of harmful air pollution caused by localised solid fuel burning, in particular the use of wood and solid fuels which has dramatically increased since 2015 following government deregulated the market place and allowed the use of wood burners even in in SCA's and at the same time delegated and split responsibility for managing the installation and approvals system to external private bodies such as HETAS and further removed responsibility for their approval from Local Authorities leaving them to only to manage complaints about the air pollution after installation.
The problem of air pollution in residential areas has got steadily worse as the homes on our estate (of approximately 1500 homes, built in the 1990's, and constructed with low polluting on grid gas and electric heating systems) have installed secondary solid fuel burners, one being installed within a few metres of our home.
Also our Local Council like many others in the UK have not designated any new SCA's in more than 40 years in even though there has been wide scale residential development of thousands of new homes in the borough in that time.
Having contacted our MP and local council regarding localised air pollution for over 8 years to try and get meaningful action we have been told that the council do not consider pollution from solid fuel burning is a significant problem and they will not help unless they are directed to change their approach by Central Government! The council also blames their inaction on the current environmental act legislation claiming it does not give them adequate powers to act on residential pollution from solid fuel burning and this will only change when more objective legislation with stronger powers is introduced.
The regular air pollution from wood and solid fuel burning in residential homes causes us is a serious problem and due to the serious health risks of wood smoke air pollution this seriously interferes with our lives, stopping us going out outside into our garden or for local walks as the area constantly smells of wood smoke (a known carcinogen) and makes us prisoners in our home whenever the locals light their fires (at all times of the year) the smell makes some of our habitable rooms unusable when we find the fumes seep into our home and have had to avoid using parts of our home for long periods to minimise the impact of the pollution on us. Also, we have had to install multiple air purifiers at our own expense to try and minimise the effects of the health damaging carcinogenic fumes that regularly seep into our home.
The sudden increase in air pollution grew significantly after the 2015 Governments deregulation amended the rules governing the burning of solid fuels such as wood in homes in conjunction with a reduction in independent oversight of solid fuel burning by local councils environmental health departments. The problem of air pollution from solid fuel burning reduced after the 1960's when the Clean Air Act was first introduced along with the advent of natural gas boilers but, since the 2015 deregulation increased wood burning has resulted in a reversal with PM2.5 pollution from this source increasing and now we, along with many others is the UK are regularly forced to suffer increased levels of local air pollution from solid fuel burning in our homes. This pollution is entirely unnecessary and comes from the growing number of homes who have installed wood burners for secondary heating in their on grid homes, represents a significant health risk for us and others and is a totally unnecessary, well documented and evidenced risk to public health that urgently needs to be legislated on to control and stop their use in on grid homes where alternatives exist.
My itemised responses to questions posed by the Environmental Audit Committee are indexed 1 – 12 follows pages 3-9;
1. What evidence exists of the extent of air pollution directly or indirectly impacting health of individuals or communities in England?
There is a large body of peer reviewed studies and evidence that shows that PM2.5 particulate air pollution and other airborne pollutants that have a significant impact on the health of individuals and communities in England. This evidence comes from a variety of sources, including:
• Epidemiological studies have shown a link between air pollution exposure and a range of health problems, including respiratory infections, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
• Clinical studies have shown that air pollution can cause acute health problems, such as asthma attacks and bronchitis, and can worsen chronic health problems, such as COPD and heart disease.
• Toxicology studies that have shown that air pollution can damage cells and tissues, and can interfere with the body's ability to fight off infection and disease.
The evidence is clear that air pollution is a major public health problem in England. It is estimated that air pollution causes around 40,000 deaths each year in the UK; the annual cost of air pollution to the NHS is around £20 billion.
There are a number of things that need to be done to reduce air pollution, including:
• Reducing/banning the use of solid fuels (fossil and wood) and high PM2.5 pollution sources such as wood burning in peoples homes where alternatives exist.
• Investing in public transport and active travel, such as walking and cycling.
• Promoting the use of low-emission vehicles.
• Improving energy efficiency in homes and businesses.
Specific examples of the impact of air pollution on health in England:
• A study by the University of Exeter found that children who are exposed to high levels of air pollution are more likely to develop asthma and other serious cardiovascular diseases
• A study by the King's College London found that air pollution can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• A study by the University of Leeds found that air pollution can increase the risk of cancer.
These are just a few examples of the many ways in which air pollution can impact health. It is clear that air pollution is a serious public health problem that urgently needs to be addressed by government legislation to reduce and control the sources of air pollution in the wider environment.
2. What evidence exists to demonstrate the impact of the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London, and other Clean Air Zones nationwide, on reducing public health risks or improving health outcomes within areas where they have been introduced?
• The ULEZ is a clear example of how effective policies can be in reducing air pollution and improving public health. The ULEZ has had a significant impact on air quality in London, and it is expected to continue to improve air quality in the years to come.
• There is a significant body of evidence to demonstrate the impact of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London. The ULEZ is a charge that applies to vehicles that do not meet certain emission standards within the central London area. The charge was introduced in April 2019 and has been expanded twice since then.
• A study by Imperial College London found that the ULEZ had a significant impact on reducing nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in central London. The study found that NO2 levels fell by an average of 35% within the ULEZ in the first 10 months of operation. The study also found that the ULEZ had a positive impact on air quality in the wider London area, with NO2 levels falling by an average of 10% across the city.
• A separate study by the University of Birmingham found that the ULEZ had a significant impact on reducing CO2 emissions in central London. The study found that CO2 emissions fell by an average of 6% within the ULEZ in the first 10 months of operation. The study also found that the ULEZ had a positive impact on CO2 emissions in the wider London area, with CO2 emissions falling by an average of 2% across the city.
• The ULEZ has also been shown to have a positive impact on public health. A study by King's College London found that the ULEZ could prevent up to 9,400 premature deaths in London by 2030. The study also found that the ULEZ could save the NHS up to £2.1 billion in healthcare costs by 2030.
There is evidence to suggest that CAZs can be effective in reducing air pollution levels. A study by the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) found that CAZs in Birmingham and Nottingham led to a 20% reduction in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels within the first year of implementation. NO2 is a major pollutant that is linked to a number of health problems, including respiratory problems, heart disease, and cancer.
However, it is important to note that CAZs can also have some negative impacts, such as increased traffic congestion and financial hardship for low-income households. It is therefore important to carefully consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of CAZs before implementation. CAZs can be an effective way to reduce air pollution and improve health outcomes. However, it is important to carefully consider the potential benefits and drawbacks before implementing them.
Here are some additional details about the potential benefits and drawbacks of CAZs:
Benefits:
• Reduced air pollution levels*
• Improved health outcomes
• Increased public awareness of air pollution
• Encouragement of cleaner transportation options
Drawbacks:
• Increased traffic congestion
• Financial hardship for low-income households
• Opposition from businesses and residents
• Administrative challenges
• *Should the ongoing and growing use of wood burning stoves continue unchecked it has been forecast that levels of air pollution caused is expected to grow undermining ULEZ air pollution gains
• The specific benefits and drawbacks of CAZs will vary depending on their specific location and implementation.
3. Are the current national targets for outdoor air pollution ambitious and wide-ranging enough to provide adequate protection for public health and the environment in a) rural and b) urban areas?
The current national targets for outdoor air pollution in the UK are not ambitious enough to provide adequate protection for public health or the environment in both rural and urban areas. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends much stricter limits on air pollution than the current UK targets. For example, the WHO recommends a limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter for PM2.5, while the current UK target is now 20 micrograms per cubic meter. This means that the UK is currently allowing levels of air pollution that are four times higher than the WHO recommends.
Air pollution is a major public health problem. It is estimated that air pollution causes 40,000 deaths in the UK each year. Air pollution can cause a variety of health problems, including heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and respiratory infections. It can also worsen existing health conditions, such as asthma and COPD.
Air pollution is also a major environmental problem. It contributes to climate change and can cause serious health issues.
Government needs to take urgent action to reduce air pollution. It needs to set more ambitious targets and implement stronger measures to reduce emissions. These measures should include a shift to cleaner forms of transport, such as electric vehicles, and a reduction in the use of fossil fuels. The government also needs to invest in measures to improve public health, such as residential air pollution monitoring and public education campaigns on the sources of air pollution in homes such as wood and solid fuel burning.
Some specific examples of how the government could improve air quality:
• Improve air quality monitoring in residential areas
• Improve education on the causes and harms of air pollution and publicise the health risks of air pollution including the serious harm that can be caused by wood burning in homes.
• Ban the use of wood burning stove in on grid homes
• Invest in public transport and make it more affordable.
• Promote walking and cycling.
• Encourage people to work from home.
• Support the improved development of more clean energy technologies.
4. Are measures currently in place, and those proposed in the revised Air Quality Strategy for England, sufficient to achieve national targets?
The current measures are insufficient to even achieve the Government's unambitious national targets in a timely manner nor are they likely to be enough to achieve the Government's national targets, which are to reduce air pollution by 40% by 2030 and 70% by 2040.
There are a number of reasons why these measures may not be enough to achieve the Government's targets. First, the measures are not being implemented quickly or consistently across the UK enough. Secondly , the measures are not being implemented effectively.
In order to achieve the Government's targets, it is important to implement the measures sooner, consistently, and effectively. It is also important to consider additional measures, such as introducing a national emissions trading scheme for vehicles and a scheme to remove the highly polluting wood stove in conjunction with support for installation of low pollution technology (heat pumps).
The UK Government has a responsibility to protect the health of its citizens and the environment.
5. What are major barriers and challenges to achieving national targets on air quality?
There are a number of major barriers and challenges to achieving the stated UK national targets on air quality. These include:
• The lack of political will to take action on air pollution. Air pollution causes are multiple and complex and there is no easy solution. This can make it difficult to get politicians to commit to taking action, as they may be reluctant to make the difficult decisions that are necessary to initiate changes to legislation.
• The lack of public awareness of the dangers of air pollution.
Many people are not aware of the dangers of air pollution such as domestic wood burning, or underestimate the risks. This can make it difficult to get people to take action to reduce their exposure to air pollution and needs a significant improvement to education on the harms indoor air pollution from these sources can cause
• Resistance of some businesses and individuals to change. Some businesses and individuals may be reluctant to change their behaviour, even if it is necessary to improve air quality as they believe it may harm their business models and put this above public health improvements. This may make it difficult to implement measures to reduce air pollution levels from highly polluting appliances such as by banning or severely restricting wood burning stoves or even banning the use of certain types of vehicles.
6. Does the Government provide sufficient funding and devolved powers to local authorities in England to improve local air quality? If not, what additional funding or devolved powers are required?
Whilst Government has provided some funding and devolved limited legislative powers to local authorities in England to improve local air quality there is a consensus that significantly more funding along with greater devolved powers are essential if there is going to be a significant impact on air pollution.
Government's Air Quality Grant Scheme provided funding to local authorities to implement measures and improve air quality. The scheme awarded funding to a variety of projects since it started. However, the scheme was relatively small, and its unclear how much of the funding has been used to implement effective measures. Also, there is evidence across the UK that councils have been largely unwilling to listen/act on residents concerns regarding air pollution.
Government has devolved some legislative powers to local authorities to improve air quality. For example, local authorities can introduce Low Emission Zones (LEZs) to restrict the use of polluting vehicles in certain areas. However, the powers that have been devolved are limited, and local authorities have called for more powers to be given to them.
In addition to more funding and devolved powers, local authorities also need to be given more support to implement effective measures to improve air quality. This support could include training, technical assistance, and access to data.
Whilst Government has committed to improving air quality, it is clear that more needs to be done. More funding, devolved powers such as banning/severely restricting the use of wood burning stoves in on grid homes, and support for local authorities are essential to making any significant impact on air pollution.
By taking these steps, the UK Government can make a real difference to the health of its citizens and the environment.
7. What are the long-term health impacts of indoor air pollution?
Indoor air pollution from sources such as wood and solid fuel burning is a major health concern in the UK, and it can have a number of long-term health impacts on the population. Some of the most serious health impacts of indoor air pollution include:
• Cardiovascular disease: Long-term exposure to indoor air pollution can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.
• Respiratory disease: Indoor air pollution can trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory problems, such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
• Cancer: Some pollutants found in indoor air pollution such as the carcinogenic PM2.5 components of wood and coal have been linked to an increased risk of cancer, including lung cancer and bladder cancer.
• Premature death: Long-term exposure to indoor air pollution can shorten life expectancy.
The health impacts of indoor air pollution are not evenly distributed across the population. Some groups are more vulnerable to the effects of indoor air pollution than others. These groups include:
• Children: Children are more vulnerable to the effects of indoor air pollution because their lungs are still developing.
• The elderly: The elderly are also more vulnerable to the effects of indoor air pollution because their immune systems are weaker.
• People with chronic health conditions: People with chronic health conditions, such as asthma and heart disease, are more likely to experience health problems when exposed to indoor air pollution.
8. What steps can the Government take to improve indoor air quality?
The UK government can take a number of steps to improve indoor air quality in domestic settings. These include:
• Providing information and guidance to the public on how to improve indoor air quality. This could include information on the sources of indoor air pollution, how to identify and reduce exposure, and how to choose and use air purifiers.
• Regulating the levels of pollutants in the air. This could include limits on the emissions of pollutants from sources such as domestic solid fuel burning , cars, power plants, and industrial facilities.
• Investing in research into indoor air pollution. This could help to identify new sources of pollution and develop new ways to reduce exposure.
• Working with environmentalists, businesses and industry to reduce emissions of pollutants. This could include providing financial incentives for businesses to invest in cleaner technologies.
• Supporting the development of new technologies to improve indoor air quality. This could include funding research and development into new air purifiers and other technologies.
Some additional steps that the UK government can take to improve indoor air quality are:
• Provide sufficient advice and where necessary financial assistance to low-income households to help them improve the air quality in their homes. This could include funding for air purifiers, energy-efficient appliances, and home repairs or modifications that can reduce exposure to pollutants.
• Create a national indoor air quality monitoring program. This would help to track the levels of pollutants in homes and identify areas where air quality is a problem.
• Require landlords to disclose the air quality in rental properties. This would help tenants make informed decisions about where to live.
• Encourage businesses to adopt policies that reduce indoor air pollution. This could include banning smoking in the workplace, providing air purifiers, and using cleaner products.
By taking these steps, the UK government can help to improve the health of its citizens and reduce the burden of disease caused by indoor air pollution.
9. What are the differential impacts, geographically, and across socioeconomic groups, of poor outdoor and indoor air quality? Are measures to address poor air quality appropriately targeted?
Government has taken some steps to raise awareness of the impacts of poor air quality and promote action to tackle the issue. But needs to go further by:
• Setting out a long-term plan with clear targets to reduce air pollution in the UK.
• Investing in further research into the health impacts of air pollution.
• Introduce legislation to assist work by local authorities to develop, implement air quality plans and empower them to act to address air pollution at source.
• Raising awareness of the issue through better education and public information campaigns.
The government needs to introduce further policies and measures to reduce air pollution, including:
• Stop/severely restrict the use of wood and solid fuel burning in on grid residential areas and actively encourage and support home insulation and heat pump installation schemes.
• Require housing developments above a specific level or density to be automatically be declared by local councils as an SCA (remove the current discretion given to local councils).
There is more to be done. The government needs to continue to invest in research and development, and to work with local authorities and businesses to ensure that air quality is improved across the country.
In addition to the government's efforts, there are a number of other organizations working to raise awareness of the impacts of poor air quality and promote action to tackle the issue. These include, but not limited to:
• The World Health Organization, The British Lung Foundation, Asthma UK, Friends of the Earth,Greenpeace, Clean Air London, Ella Roberta Foundation, Mums for lungs, globalactionplan.org (Clean Air Day)
These organizations are working to educate the public about the health risks of air pollution, and to lobby governments to take action to reduce air pollution.
The issue of air pollution is complex and challenging, but it is important that Government takes action to address it. We all have a role to play in making the air we breathe cleaner.
Geographic impacts
Air pollution levels are generally higher in urban areas than in rural areas. This is because urban areas have higher concentrations of traffic, industry, and other sources of air pollution such as wood and solid fuel burning in homes. As a result, people who live in urban and even suburban areas are far more likely to be exposed to high levels of air pollution but, with very limited AURN air pollution monitoring sites in residential areas monitoring the levels are a significant issue and local monitoring should be prioritised to better analyse localised air pollution hot spots.
Socioeconomic impacts
Air pollution levels are also higher in lower-income areas than in higher-income areas. This is because lower-income areas tend to have older, less efficient housing stock, which can trap air pollution indoors. Additionally, lower-income people are more likely to live in areas with higher levels of traffic,industrial and domestic indoor pollution. As a result, they are more likely to be exposed to high levels of air pollution.
Impacts on health
The health impacts of poor air quality from many sources are significant and can range from respiratory problems to heart disease and cancer. The most vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality are children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Measures to address air pollution
The government needs to legislate to control air pollution at a national UK wide level and in particular take action to bring about an end to domestic solid fuel (wood and coal) burning in on grid homes, continue to invest in funding insulation and heating system upgrades, fund research and development work with local authorities, the public and businesses to ensure that air quality can be continuously improved across the country.
Targeting of measures
The government's measures to address air pollution need to be objectively targeted at the sources of pollution, such as residential wood and solid fuel burning, traffic, industry, and agriculture whilst recognising that more needs to be done to target these measures at the most vulnerable groups, such as children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions.
The government could do more to target its measures at the most vulnerable groups by:
• Providing financial assistance to help people in lower-income areas be less reliant on burning solid fuel for heating and to reduce the levels of PM2.5 that result from its use, with extra help to upgrade their homes to make them more airtight, improve their heating systems and be more energy efficient.
• Take action to bring about an end to domestic solid fuel (wood and coal) burning in homes across the UK in all rural, urban and suburban areas of the UK.
• Invest more in public transport and cycling infrastructure in lower-income areas to make it easier for people to get around without using a car.
• Work with businesses in lower-income areas to help them reduce their emissions.
• The government should help to ensure that the benefits of measures to address air pollution are felt by everyone, regardless of their income or social status.
10. How well is the Government spreading awareness of the impacts of poor air quality and promoting action being taken to tackle the issue?
• Very poorly; A process that continuously consults and has not yet resulted in any concrete action or legislation to bring about a significant reduction in the measured levels of PM2.5.
• Government has taken some steps to raise awareness of the impacts of poor air quality and promote action to tackle the issue but some, such as “Burn Better” are counter productive as this sends the wrong message that it is OK to burn wood in residential areas and totally ignores the high levels of dangerous PM2.5 and carcinogenic pollution they cause and the impact on neighbours which is often overlooked by regulators.
• Central Government has repeatedly failed to accept or recognise the need to legislate to stop the installation and use the of high pollution wood burning stoves even though their use in only 8% -10% of UK homes is known to be responsible for over 21% of carcinogenic fine particulate matter PM2.5 (over twice that produced by all traffic)
• There is still much more to be done. Government needs to continue to invest in research and development, and to work with local authorities, businesses and the environmental scientists to ensure that air quality can be improved across the entire country.
• In addition to the government's efforts, there are a number of other organizations working to raise awareness of the impacts of poor air quality and promote action to tackle the issue. These include:
• The World Health Organization, The British Lung Foundation, Asthma UK, Friends of the Earth,Greenpeace, Clean Air London, Ella Roberta Foundation, Mums for lungs, globalactionplan.org (Clean Air Day)
11. How well is the Government coordinating measures between national and local actors to improve air quality, both outdoors and indoors?
• Very poorly; A process that continuously consults and has not yet resulted in any concrete action or legislation to bring about a significant reduction in the measured levels of PM2.5.
• Air pollution is unevenly distributed across the UK: a recent National Audit Office study found that urban areas and low-income and ethnically diverse neighbourhoods were particularly exposed to poor air quality.
• Government needs to make more effort to raise public awareness and education regarding the importance of reducing air pollution.
• Measures to reduce PM2.5 have had limited success in improving air quality as this has still been increasing year on year. There is still much more work to be done.
• An unambitious target for PM2.5 (2x the current WHO recommendations) has been set by Government and does not aim to achieve even these higher legal limits for air pollution until 2040. This target should change to 2030 with a new target to achieve WHO levels by no later than 2035.
• In addition there is an urgent need to improve indoor air quality because people spend a significant amount of time indoors (estimated at 90%) and indoor air is often even more polluted than outdoor air. The need to improve indoor air quality requires government to:
◦ Stop by banning or at least significantly reduce the need for burning of any solid fuels such as wood and coal in domestic settings by a combination of education through public awareness campaigns and legislation
◦ Encourage use of ventilation and Air filtration
◦ Reduce the use of pollutants, paints, solvents, and cleaning products
◦ Poor air quality continues to cause damage to people’s health and the natural environment: a Public Health England review and other recently published environmental studies describe air pollution as the largest environmental risk to the public’s health, citing strong evidence for associations between sources such as air pollution from wood and solid fuel burning being the leading causes for cardiovascular and respiratory disease along with emerging evidence of other possible health effects such as dementia, low birth weight and diabetes.
◦ A recent review revealed that air quality has adverse health impacts throughout life, and affects the brain, with links to mental illness and dementia. The Chief Medical Officer’s December 2022 report on air pollution was clear that “we can and should go further to reduce air pollution”.Organisations such as UK100 and the Association of Directors of Public Health have called for better coordination between national and local actors on efforts to improve air quality.
12. Government performance on targets for air pollution
• Introduction on controls for the sale and use of dry wood “Burn Better” for use in homes have and will not bring about any substantial reduction in the harmful air pollution levels they cause (so called ecostoves produce pollution equivalent to 750x more PM2.5 than an HGV and 18x more than a euro4 diesel car running outside a home continuously) and unless the sale and use of wood burning in homes is banned, significantly controlled or restricted the uncontrolled sale and installation of these highly pollution and carcinogenic sources of pollution being allowed in on grid residential areas will, undermine any other reductions in the PM2.5 levels being achieved by other measures.
• In 2023, using powers in the Environment Act 2021, the Government set two new targets for fine particulate matter, the air pollutant generally considered to be of greatest harm to human health: an annual mean concentration target for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in England of 10 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) by 2040, and a population exposure reduction target in for PM2.5 (population exposure of 35% compared to 2018, to be achieved by 2040).[8]
• The current targets are far less ambitious than the latest public health guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) which revised its air quality guidelines in 2021, recommending a limit for fine particulate matter of 5µg/m³, half the level set by the Government. The Royal College of Physicians has called for the Government to strengthen targets, by reducing the target for annual mean concentration of PM2.5 to 5 µg/m³ and bringing forward the deadline for meeting concentration and exposure targets to 2030, rather than 2040.[9] The Government’s current targets for other pollutants, namely coarse particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, are also less ambitious than the WHO guidelines.[10][11][12]
• A target that would not achieve legal limits that are twice the WHO recommendations on air pollution until 2040 is unambitious and this should be bought forward to 2030 with a new target to achieve WHO levels of 5 µg/m³ by no later than 2040. Government will of course need to continue to work with national and local actors to implement the measures and should legislate as necessary to support this aim.
• In January 2023 the Government published the first revision of its Environmental Improvement Plan, followed in April 2023 by the new Air Quality Strategy. The Air Quality Strategy in the plan clearly lacks detail and provides insufficient support to local authorities and should be reviewed to improve its aims and detail.
Links/References;
Ban wood burning in urban areas
Air-pollution-transparency-rule-laws-to-be-scrapped
May 2023