Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London, today welcomed the European Commission's announcement to begin infringement procedures against the UK for breaches of air quality standards on particulate matter, which have not been met since they were introduced in 2005.
The action by the Commission follows the introduction of the new European Directive on Air Quality last June, which allowed for Member States facing certain difficult conditions to apply for additional time to meet the standards for particulate matter (PM10). However the UK failed to meet the October deadline for applications. Instead the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has this week launched a consultation on their planned application, which they intend to submit in March.
Jean Lambert, the Green Party MEP for London, said: "I welcome this announcement from the Commission to take action against the UK. For far too long the Government has tried to sweep this problem under the carpet, and failed citizens across the country and especially in London, where air quality at several sites is falling far below agreed standards.
"The tiny airborne particles (PM10) covered in the legislation, which are primarily emitted by industry, vehicles and domestic heating, can cause and irritate conditions such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, lung cancer and lead to premature death. The Government should be taking every possible step to eliminate this danger to human health, rather than consulting on delaying tactics.
"In London alone it is estimated that over 1000 people die prematurely each year as a result of poor air quality and a further 1000 are admitted to hospital. The Mayor and the Government must urgently work together to reduce emissions and the volumes of road traffic to ensure we meet these vital standards. "Measures to reduce air pollution are currently being discussed by the UK Government, however, there are serious questions over whether they are feasible given the planned expansion of Heathrow airport. Given the health effects of air pollution and the imminent infringement proceedings form the Commission, the Government's commitment to the Heathrow project is simply deplorable."
The Commission also intends to begin procedures against nine other Member States that have not yet achieved compliance with the PM10 limit values in force since 1 January 2005, those being Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Particulate matter air pollution alone causes around 350,000 deaths per annum now across Europe.