Report shows the impact of pollution in the local area
Up to 58 people a year are dying in parts of Ealing as a result of air pollution, according to details of a recently released report. The borough wide total will be much higher.
The study undertaken by the Institute of Occupational Medicine was commissioned by the Greater London Authority to inform the Mayor's Air Quality Strategy. It estimated that over 4,000 people die prematurely in London each year due to air pollution.
The study has used internationally accepted evidence-based risk factors associated with pollution to assess the contribution that prolonged exposure to poor air quality could make to the number of premature deaths in London.
It concludes that poor air quality (specifically PM2.5) contributed to an equivalent of 4,267 premature deaths in London in 2008. This is consistent with evidence recently presented to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee which suggested that poor air quality in the UK could be contributing to as many as 50,000 premature deaths nationally every year.
For the first time details of the report have been made public showing how the London-wide total was made up on a ward by ward basis. These numbers were based methodology to obtain the 'best estimate' by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP).
| Area Name | Total Population |
Attributable Deaths at coefft (change for 10 µg/m3 PM2.5) 6% |
| Cleveland | 14,649 |
8 |
| Ealing Broadway | 13,758 |
7 |
| Ealing Common | 13,352 |
7 |
Elthorne |
|
7 |
| Hanger Hill | 14,535 |
8 |
| Hobbayne | 13,401 |
7 |
| Northfield | 12,970 |
7 |
| Walpole | 13,212 |
7 |
Mayor's Draft Air Quality Strategy
Following consultation with the London Assembly and functional bodies, which ran from October-November 2009, the Mayor published a second Draft Air Quality Strategy for public consultation.
The strategy sets out a framework for delivering improvements to London’s air quality and includes measures aimed at reducing emissions from transport, homes, offices and new developments, as well as raising awareness of air quality issues.
Over the last few years, a number of measures have been introduced to help improve air quality in London. Nevertheless, air pollution remains a problem in the capital, as is clear from the fact that European Union targets for air quality standards that were intended to be met in 2004 and 2005 have still not been achieved.
Air quality consultation
The Mayor wants to hear your views on the draft Air Quality Strategy and is running a public consultation until 13 August 2010. The final strategy is expected to be published later in 2010. To have your say on air quality in London see here.
July 6, 2010
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