Transcript Air pollution and Health

Go Low Forum
Air pollution and Health
Richard Taylor
Nottingham City Council: Environmental Health and Safer Places
Air and pollution
The air we breathe is mostly nitrogen and
oxygen. But natural and human activities emit
other gases and particles into the air which
affect our health and the environment
Air Quality World Health Organisation
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‘Outdoor air pollution is a major environmental health problem affecting everyone in
developed and developing countries alike’.
By reducing air pollution levels, countries can reduce the burden of disease from stroke, heart
disease, lung cancer, and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma.
Ambient (outdoor air pollution) in both cities and rural areas was estimated to cause 3.7
million premature deaths worldwide in 2012.
United kingdom
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Poor air quality was estimated to have brought forward the deaths of 28,000 people in the UK
in 2012 (revised to 40,000 in Feb 2016)
In our recent joint report with Public Health to the Health and Wellbeing board we estimated
that this equates to over 1500 deaths brought forward in Nottingham and over 4200 in
Nottinghamshire per year.
Recent scientific evidence demonstrates adverse health effects from particles (2013) and
nitrogen dioxide (2015) at levels below EU/UK air quality objectives
Nottingham has two Air Quality Management Areas for nitrogen dioxide
Particle levels in UK and Nottingham exceed WHO guidelines
Air Pollution shortens lives
1952 – it was estimated 12000+ ‘died early’ due to ‘the great smog’
2008 - it was estimated 29,000 ‘died early’ from invisible air pollution
Jan 2016 – 29,000 is revised upward to 40,000
Air pollution ‘episodes’: prolonged periods of high concentrations – a
combination emissions and weather conditions; have the most noticeable effect
Air Pollution Episodes cause life threatening acute effects,
and exacerbate chronic respiratory illnesses…
February 2014 – EU announces infraction proceedings against UK
Spring 2014 meteorology causes prolonged pollution episode and news headlines
LAQM: Air Quality Objectives to protect health
Air Quality Objective
Pollutant
Concentration
Measured as
Date to be achieved by
16.25 µg/m3
Running annual mean
31.12.2003
5.00 µg/m3
Running annual mean
31.12.2010
1,3-Butadiene
2.25 µg/m3
Running annual mean
31.12.2003
Carbon monoxide
10.0 mg/m3
Running 8-hour mean
31.12.2003
0.5 µg/m3
Annual mean
31.12.2004
0.25 µg/m3
Annual mean
31.12.2008
200 µg/m3 not to be exceeded more
than 18 times a year
1-hour mean
31.12.2005
40 µg/m3
Annual mean
31.12.2005
50 µg/m3, not to be exceeded more
than 35 times a year
24-hour mean
31.12.2004
40 µg/m3
Annual mean
31.12.2004
350 µg/m3, not to be exceeded more
than 24 times a year
1-hour mean
31.12.2004
125 µg/m3, not to be exceeded more
than 3 times a year
24-hour mean
31.12.2004
266 µg/m3, not to be exceeded more
than 35 times a year
15-minute mean
31.12.2005
Benzene
Lead
Nitrogen dioxide
Particles (PM10) (gravimetric)
Sulphur dioxide
Environment Act 1995 Part 3: Local Air Quality Management
the process identified areas where the nitrogen dioxide annual mean
air quality objective of 40ug/m3 would not be met
Nottingham - Monitored levels 1997 - 2015
NO2 annual mean
AQO =40 ug/m3
BUT health effects
observed at 20-25
ug/m3
PM10 annual mean AQO =
40 ug/m3
WHO guide 20 ug/m3
PM2.5 indicative annual
mean (England)
= 25 ug/m3
WHO guide = 10 ug/m3
BUT no safe exposure limit
Clean Air Zone – what we know
Clean Air Zones
Many pieces to the solution for better
environmental and public health …
• Reducing use of carbon based fuels
– energy efficiency, process design, insulating
industrial, commercial and residential buildings
– Hybrid, electric, hydrogen fuelled vehicles to
reduce emissions at tail-pipe point of use
– Sustainable personal transport/travel mix and
choices: walking, cycling, public transport –
needed to prevent congestion and gridlock that
could happen if we simply replace petrol and
diesel vehicles