Airborne pollutants linked to 500 deaths in one year
LEVELS OF PARTICLES LINKED TO LUNG RECOMMENDED LEVELS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND COUNTY
POLLUTION led to nearly 500 deaths in Leicestershire in a year, new figures suggest.
The Central Office of Public Interest (Copi) and Imperial College London compiled a map showing how dirty the air is in every street in the country.
The data focuses on pollutants PM2.5 and the coarser PM10, which can cause lung problems and, in the case of PM2.5, cancer.
The map also shows the level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which can increase the risk of disease-related mortality.
The study found nearly every home in the UK was subjected to air pollution above World Health Organisation guidelines.
Leicester city and Leicestershire county councils have said they are taking steps to reduce pollution.
The research used figures from Public Health England (PHE), which estimated the number of deaths each year that may be attributable to PM2.5 – fine dust.
The figures suggested it may have contributed to one in 17 deaths of people over 30 (5.8 per cent) in Leicester in 2019, and one in 19 deaths (5.3 per cent in Leicestershire in the same period.
Across the area, that is the equivalent of around 470 deaths in 2019, the most recent figures available.
A spokesman for Leicester City Council said the level of PM2.5 in the city was not on the whole generated in the city.
“Local authorities like us have very little control over the emission of PM2.5 because it comes largely from agriculture and industry,” he said.
“Only a small amount is generated locally, with most of this from domestic fossil fuel burning and a smaller contribution from road traffic through tyre wear and brake dust. Saharan dust is a contributor, as are the coal-fired power stations of eastern Europe.
In Leicester, the biggest contributor to PM2.5 figures is agriculture from around the region, which is why Leicester and Leicestershire have similar levels. In other areas it’s industry.
“The government is running a consultation now (until May 11) on introducing a new target PM2.5 level of 10 micrograms/m3 by 2040.
“We think they should be aiming to reduce it to 5mcg/m3 by this time, but in the interim we think they should aim for a reduction to 10mcg/ m3 by 2030.
“One cause we can help to reduce is outdoor fires and the use of log burners, which is why we redesignated Leicester as a Smoke Control Zone some years ago.
“The extensive work we’re doing to promote walking, cycling and public transport as an alternative to the car will also help.”
Councillor Louise Richardson, the county council’s lead member for health, said: “We’re aware of the figures and we’ve made it clear in previous years that air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK.
“This is also not just about roads and transport.
“There’s a crucial role for district councils as the responsibility for air quality and air quality management areas rests with them.”
The county council said it had a number of plans in place to help make it net zero carbon by 2045.
Its plans, aimed at reducing carbon emissions and also contributing to improving air quality, include:
Reducing carbon emissions generated by transport;
Enabling sustainable travel through new infrastructure and information on transport choices;
Supporting sustainable land management and food production to avoid emissions from agriculture and soil erosion;
Enhancing roadside verges and tree planting to address air pollution and limit impacts on residents;
Supporting the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure to reduce tail pipe emissions.
Coun Richardson said: “Sources of air pollution are far wider – agricultural, mining operations, domestic solid fuel fires and occur both indoor and outdoor – so there remains a need for us to work across multiple sectors.
“There are also inequalities when it comes to health and life expectancy, with some groups more vulnerable to harm, such as children, older people and those with existing health conditions.
“Currently, there is no clear evidence of a safe level of exposure, so any reduction is likely to lead to health benefits for our population.”
To see what levels of PM2.5 are like on your street, go to:
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