April 10, 2014

expert reaction to Public Health England estimates of mortality associated with air pollution

Public Health England (PHE) released estimates* of the number of deaths in UK local authorities that can be attributed to long term exposure to air pollution.

Dr Heather Walton, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Health, King’s College London, said:

“This is a useful report showing how the recommendations from the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (www.comeap.org.uk, chaired by Prof Frank Kelly from King’s) can be applied in local areas. 

“The contribution of particulate air pollution in London in 2010 is estimated to be the equivalent of 3389 deaths at typical ages, or a loss of 41,404 life years across the population.  The report carefully explains that air pollution is thought to contribute to deaths along with other risk factors, and these part contributions are equivalent to 3389 deaths. 

“The report also notes that these calculations used approximate methods based on national air pollution modelling.  They are intended to highlight the importance of the effects of air pollution as a trigger for more detailed work analyzing the options to reduce air pollution, and the consequent benefits to public health.  The Environmental Research Group at King’s does extensive work monitoring, modeling, assessing and communicating the effects of air pollution, particularly in London, and continues to perform research to better understand the effects of air pollution on health.”

For further information:

www.londonair.org.uk

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/biohealth/research/divisions/aes/research/ERG/index.aspx . 

Prof Ian Colbeck, Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Essex, said:

“Following last week’s air pollution episode this new report highlights the associated dangers.  The failure of the Government to implement EU directives on air quality cannot be overlooked. 

“It should be remembered that people send around 90% of their time indoors so outdoor concentrations may not be appropriate.  However you may well be exposed to a range of different pollutants in the indoor environment.”

*http://www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1317141074607