2003
was a shocking year for air pollution, say Ealing Friends
of the Earth.
Levels
of air pollution in Ealing and Acton in 2003 were the worst
since measurements began. Not only that, but Government health
safety levels were dramatically exceeded for all three main
pollutants - small atmospheric particles [known as PM 10 ],
nitrogen dioxide and ozone. Pollution
levels for PM 10 particles and ozone were both much higher
than the highest previously recorded.
The
number of days when PM 10 pollution was higher than the Government
health threshold was 61, nearly twice the maximum of 35 allowed.
The situation for ozone was even worse, with 33 days over
the health threshold, over three times the 10 days allowed.
L evels of nitrogen dioxide were worse than previous years,
and continue to break health thresholds, as they have in all
years except 2002.
Christine
Eborall, Ealing Friends of the Earth Air Pollution and Health
spokesperson, said "Such high pollution levels are very
serious for the residents of this borough. The small particles
are especially bad. All sorts of harmful chemicals stick to
them, and once breathed in they are too small for the lungs
to expel, so they just accumulate, making people more and
more unhealthy. It's no good blaming the weather. Traffic
is the cause of most air pollution in London. Ealing Council
is supposed to be ensuring that our air is fit to breathe.
The Government's 1997 National Air Quality Strategy requires
local authorities to ensure that the PM10 targets are met
by the end of this year, and the nitrogen dioxide ones by
the end of 2005. Ealing Council will not achieve these targets,
because it still has not put in place any policies to control
traffic in the most polluted areas. So our air will not be
fit to breathe, and people's health will continue to suffer.
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