News & Press
Liberal Democrat Air Quality Commitment Welcomed | 19 May 2009
Environmental Protection UK1 today welcomes the policy commitment made by the Liberal Democrats for action on air quality. The party have stated2 that they would ensure the United Kingdom complies fully with air quality laws for dangerous airborne particles (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by the time of the 2012 Olympics.
Legally binding, health based standards for both PM10 and NO2 have been in place for several years. However years of inaction has meant that frequent breaches of these minimum standards still occur in many parts of the UK. The Government is currently seeking time extensions for meeting these standards from the European Commission – a legal solution to the problem, but not a solution to the ill health and premature death caused by poor air quality.
The Liberal Democrats statement marks the first time one of the main three political parties has made a firm commitment on air quality linked to a deadline. The chosen date of the deadline is particularly evocative – athletes are especially sensitive to air pollution due to the quantity of air passing through their lungs, and air quality was a worry at last year's Beijing games.
"In 2012 the lungs of the world's top athletes will be breathing the UK's air, and it is absolutely imperative that we meet our air quality standards by this date as a very minimum", said Philip Mulligan, Chief Executive of Environmental Protection UK, "We now call on the other political parties to make a similar unambiguous commitment to ensure that the health benefits of clean air are captured across the UK as a tangible health benefit for all".
More: Ed Dearnley (Policy Officer) 01273 878771/ ed.dearnley@environmental-protection.org.uk
Notes for Editors
- Environmental Protection UK www.environmental-protection.org.uk is the environmental protection charity supported by pollution control professionals. We have been working for a cleaner, quieter, healthier world since 1898.
- The Liberal Democrat's press release 'Hughes: 24,000 Brits die prematurely each year due to air pollution'