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Tough new targets to cut air pollution were announced today by Environment Minister Michael Meacher.

Following public consultation on proposals to update the national Air Quality Strategy, Michael Meacher today set out new targets to cut levels of four key air pollutants in England. In respect of particles, the new targets are:

• a 24 hour objective of 50 microgrammes per cubic metre not to be exceeded more than 7 days a year, and an annual objective of 20 microgrammes per cubic metre, both to be achieved by 2010.
  
  
• In London, where development, industrial activity and transport levels differ markedly from the rest of England, a 24 hour objective of 50 microgrammes per cubic metre not to be exceeded more than 10 days a year and an annual objective of 23 microgrames per cubic metre, both to be achieved by 2010.

It is also intended that the Mayor and London authorities should work towards an annual target of 20 microgrammes per cubic metre by 2015, where cost effective and proportionate local action can be identified. This long-term aspirational objective will be kept under review to take account of future projections on air quality trends and the outcome of the review of the current European Air Quality Directive on particles.

The latest advice from health experts is that long term exposure to particles, which can emitted into the air from traffic and industry, can cause premature deaths, particularly from heart disease. These effects are thought to be significantly greater than short-term effects from the day to day exposure to particles in air.

Today's announcement also involves new, tougher targets for benzene and carbon monoxide and, for the first time, a target for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These targets reflect the latest health advice and recently agreed EU air quality limit values.

Michael Meacher said:

"Air quality is getting better. Levels of most pollutants have fallen considerably over the last few years through measures to cut emissions from industry and traffic.

"But the latest health evidence shows that we cannot afford to be complacent. Further action is needed to cut air pollution levels, in particular in our congested towns and cities, which continue to have a significant impact on our health.

"The targets we have announced today represent a significant strengthening of our air quality targets for particles and other important air pollutants. Our new target for particles is at least 50% tighter than the current air Quality Strategy objective.

"The target for particles for London takes account of the markedly higher levels of air pollution in the capital than elsewhere in England.

"But we have set separate objectives for London in the knowledge that the challenge for London of such a target will be as least as great as that posed by the target for the rest of the country. "

"The level of reduction should be the same if not greater and Londoners should experience similar if not more improvements in health benefits as the rest of the population on the basis of present policies and measures."

Notes for editors

Air Quality Strategy

The latest Air Quality Strategy was published in January 2000. The Strategy is part of the Government's overall aim to improve the quality of life across the UK. It sets targets for reducing levels of eight important air pollutants and the framework in which everyone, from individuals to big business, has a role to play in improving air quality. (see DETR News Release No.032, 19 January 2000).

The Strategy explains that the objectives are to be kept under review on a pollutant by pollutant basis to take account of scientific and technical developments and developments in European legislation in order to consider the prospects for strengthening the target.

Consultation Paper - New Air Quality Objectives

Following the first review of the Strategy, the Government and the devolved administrations issued a consultation paper in September 2001 setting out proposals for air quality objectives for particles (as PM10 ), benzene, carbon monoxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (see DEFRA News Release 137/01, 17 September 2001).

Particles and health - Advice from Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP)

The new targets for particles, announced today, follow a wide-ranging review of scientific, technical and economic evidence. It is in particular a response to the latest advice from the Department of Health's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) which suggests that people exposed to particles over the long term are at greater risk of premature death, particularly from heart disease.

Particles are associated with a range of short-term health effects, including effects on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, asthma and death. In its 1998 report, COMEAP suggested that that in 1996 the early death of 8,100 vulnerable people and 10,500 hospital admissions in the UK were associated with respiratory disease affected by particle air pollution. These deaths are among people who are already very ill and are likely to be brought forward by a few weeks.

COMEAP has since looked at the health effects from long-term exposure to particle air pollution. In its report published on 1 May 2001, the Committee suggests that emerging evidence points to the chronic health effects of particle air pollution being substantially more significant than the acute effects. The Committee considers that on the basis of studies carried out in the United States, an estimated 0.007 to 4.1 million life years might be gained in this country per 1 µg/m3 (microgramme per cubic metre) drop in concentrations of particle air pollution. This represents a reduction of about 5% on present levels. The wide range reflects the uncertainties involved. The Committee takes the view in its report that an estimate towards the lower end of the range (0.2-0.5 million life years across the population) is more likely.

This represents an average gain of 1.5 to 3.5 days per person. However, although everyone is exposed, it is likely that only some of the population is susceptible to the adverse effects of long term exposure to air pollution. This would mean that some people would not gain anything, whilst those affected would gain more than the average figure of a few days. For example, if only 1 million rather than 52 million people were affected, the gain would be around 3 to 6.5 months per person. The Committee's report explains that the number of people affected is unknown, and so an accurate calculation of the gain in the susceptible population is not possible.

The Committee estimates that the total effect of long term exposure on life expectancy for the whole population is about 10 times greater than that predicted from the short-term effect on life expectancy.

Sources of particles

Particles (PM10) have three predominant source types. Concentrations of PM10 consist of primary particles, arising from combustion sources (including road traffic), secondary particles, mainly sulphate and nitrate formed by chemical reactions in the atmosphere, and coarse particles, suspended soils and dusts, sea salt, biological particles and particles from construction work.

PM10 is composed of each of the three source types. In general terms, the three source types each make up roughly one-third of total long-term average PM10 concentrations at urban background locations. However, the relative contribution of each source type varies from day to day, depending on meteorological conditions and quantities of emissions from mobile and static sources. The fine particle fraction (PM2.5) is composed predominately of primary and secondary particles. Coarse particles are particles in the range from PM2.5-PM10.

UK emissions account for about 80% of the primary fraction. Emissions in mainland Europe contribute up to about 20% to primary particles in the UK. This may be much larger during short-term peak episodes. Emissions from mainland Europe make a more significant contribution to secondary particles. In a year with typical meteorology, about 15% of total annual average PM10 concentrations (about 50% of secondary particles) are derived from mainland Europe. In years when easterly winds are more frequent, emissions from mainland Europe account for a much higher proportion particularly in south and east England.

Air Quality Strategy's present and new objectives

µg/m3 = micrograms (one millionth of a gram) per cubic metre
mg/m3 = milligrams (one thousandth of a gram) per cubic metre
ng/m3 = nanograms (one thousand millionth of a gram)per cubic metre
ppb = parts per billion
ppm = parts per million

The new objectives for particles and benzene will supplement the objectives in the Air Quality Strategy 2000; the new objective for carbon monoxide will replace the Strategy's present objective. The objective for PAH will be added to the Strategy as a national objective.

The objectives for benzene and carbon monoxide will be prescribed in regulations to require local authorities in England to review and assess these and work towards their achievement under their air quality management duties under the Environment Act 1995. The objectives for particles and PAH will be provisional for the time being. The particles objective set for England corresponds to the indicative stage 2 limit value in the first Air quality Daughter Directive which is due to be reviewed in 2003 -2004. The Government will consider putting a new objective for particles in to regulations after the EU review is completed and to take into account the outcome.

Action to reduce particles

Government has already set in place a range of measures that will help to reduce emissions of particles. Government's Ten Year 2010 Transport Plan, July 2000, sets out a programme of substantial increased investment of £180bn over next 10 years to improve public transport, cut congestion and reduce pollution. Tighter European vehicle emission and fuel standards already in place and coming in during the next few years will reduce emissions of particles and other air pollutants substantially. The new Integrated Pollution and Prevention Control (IPPC) authorisation regime for industrial processes will also contribute to the downward trend in particle air pollution. Economic analysis to inform the review of the AQS objectives for particles.
The Consultation proposals were supported by a report by the Interdepartmental Group on Costs and Benefits (IGCB) An Economic Analysis to inform the review of the Air Quality Strategy Objectives for Particles published at the same time. This presented the economic analysis undertaken to assess the costs and benefits of potential measures to reduce emissions and concentration levels of particles beyond those reductions which are forecast to result from measures embodied in current and planned legislation.

The DEFRA-led Interdepartmental Group on Costs and Benefits (IGCB) consists of government economists and other experts from all relevant Departments including: DEFRA, DTLR, HM Treasury, DTI, DH, CO, EA, SE, SEPA, NAW, DOENI.

Trend in air pollution

The trend in urban air quality is continuing to improve. Michael Meacher announced on 15 May this year (DEFRA News Release No.184/02 that in 2001 in urban areas there were 21 days of moderate or higher air pollution on average per site, compared with 59 days in 1993.

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