Improved air quality can extend life expectancy

New measures to tackle air pollution could extend life expectancy, cut environmental damage from acidic air pollution and generate benefits of £1.4billion a year, the government said today.

Air pollution is currently estimated to reduce the life expectancy of every person in the UK by an average of eight months.

Measures outlined for consultation today in a review of the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland could help to reduce the impact on average life expectancy to five months by 2020 .

Despite significant reductions in emission of many pollutants, air pollution still harms health and causes environmental problems.

Minister for the Local Environment, Ben Bradshaw, said:

"Although our air is cleaner in overall terms than at any time since the industrial revolution, air pollution is not declining as quickly as expected. We need to move faster and take further measures to move us closer to meeting our objectives.

"Pollutants from our cars, ships and industrial plants are still having a marked affect on our health, reducing the average life expectancy in the UK by eight months.

"This can't continue. The measures outlined in this Review would - if implemented - be a significant step forward in improving public health and our environment."

The current situation is that:

Over the past ten years the quality of our urban air has improved

from 1990 to 2001 the improvements have helped avoid 4,200 premature deaths per annum and 3,500 hospital admissions;

we are continuing to meet objectives for pollutants like carbon monoxide, 1,3-butadiene, benzene and lead;

we are meeting our current objectives for all air pollutants in over 99% of the UK.

However, there are still problems:

- we are expected to miss our targets for reductions in nitrogen dioxide, ozone and particles which can cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems;

- in 2005, pollution in UK expected to reduce average life expectancy by 8 months;

- in 2003, pollution in UK led to over half of natural and semi-natural habitats to exceed harmful levels of acidity.

The new Strategy:

- offers a package of measures which will reduce average exposure to air pollutants for everyone;

- if implemented could see increase in life expectancy of three months by 2020; and

- consists of a range of measures, including:

1.  new tighter European vehicle emissions standards (so called Euro-standards);

2.  incentives for cleaner vehicles;

3.  further reductions in emissions from small combustion plants;

4.  further reductions in emissions from ships;

Mr Bradshaw said that this was one of the most comprehensive environmental studies carried out by Government:

"In the past we have concentrated on the 'hotspots' where we may not have been hitting our air quality objectives.

"This consultation suggests a much more wide ranging approach for pollutants such as fine particles (PM 2.5), which is cost effective, and geared towards improving public health in the UK."

An updated strategy should be published at the end of the year drawing conclusions from this consultation and providing a clear, long-term vision for air quality.

The review of the UK's climate change programme published 28 March is intended to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases but will also have some small benefits on emission of air pollutants.

Notes to editors

- The consultation paper, its technical annexes and accompanying Regulatory Impact Assessment are available from the Defra website at:

www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/airqualstrat-review/index.htm.

An accompanying report of the Interdepartmental Group on Costs and Benefits provides the detailed analysis of the additional policy measures considered in this review (available at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/airquality/strategy/igcb/index.htm) . Deadline for comments on the consultation is 11 July 2006.

- The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland was originally published in 2000. It aims to:

- map out as far as possible current and future ambient air quality policy in the United Kingdom in the medium term

- provide the best practicable protection to human health and the environment by setting the evidence based objectives for the main air pollutants, and

- describe the air pollution climate in the UK to provide a framework to allow all those who contribute to air pollution, who have a part to play in its abatement, or are affected by it, to identify their role in improving air quality

- National Air Quality Objectives alongside European Directive limit and/or target values have been set for 9 of the major air pollutants: benzene, 1,3 butadiene, carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulates, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and sulphur dioxide.

- The UK has missed objectives for nitrogen dioxide (2005) and ozone (2005) and very marginally missed those for particulates (2004). The UK is projected to miss objectives for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (2010), however, the objectives will be met in a large part of the country (up to 99.5%) in some cases and only limited hotspot areas remain.

- For information on current or historic levels of air pollution see www.airquality.co.uk, the site is easy to access with up to date air quality monitoring results alongside health advice. Further up to date information is available on p.156 of Teletext and via the freephone helpline 0800 55 66 77.

- To respond to the consultation send your views by 11th July 2006 to:

In England : Eko Deinne, Air and Environment Quality Division, Zone 7/D13, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6DE or email air.quality@defra.gsi.gov.uk or ring 020 7082 8397.

In Scotland : Andrew Taylor, Scottish Executive, Climate Change and Air Quality Team, 1-G (North) Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ or email andrew.taylor2@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or ring 0131 224 7813.

In Wales : Russell Lang, Air and Environment Branch, Welsh Assembly Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF1 3NQ or email environmental.protection.division@wales.gsi.gov.uk or ring 029 2082 3473.

In Northern Ireland : Dan Kennedy, Environmental Policy Division, Department for Northern Ireland, 22-24 Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2GP or email dan.kennedy@doeni.gov.uk or ring 02890 544518.

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