Stop hiding air pollution and ban diesel exhaust in two stages to 2020 as coal was banned 60 years ago
Ultra low emission zone: Diesel exhaust is the problem; and banning it is the solution Transport for London is expected to propose the Euro 6 standard for diesel and the Euro 4 standard for petrol for the Central Congestion Charging Zone in 2020 for all categories of vehicles as part of a wider ‘Air Quality ... Read more
Timely reminder: We need effective, independent and periodic tailpipe testing
Diesel particulate filter check required as part of MOT test from February 2014 Timely reminder of the importance of fully operational diesel particulate filters and emissions control systems and the need for the final Trilogue meeting next Monday to ensure the new regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on periodic roadworthiness tests ... Read more
Mayor takes more backward steps from his Air Quality Strategy and London Plan
Consultation on draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on ‘The Control of Dust and Emissions during Construction and Demolition’ Mayor is proposing to entrench weak standards for Non-Road Mobile Machinery at ‘High risk sites’ across most of Greater London from 1 September 2015 to 1 September 2020 just days before much tighter standards would be required under ... Read more
Government lobbying for changes that would weaken emissions systems tests
Government is lobbying, with others in the Council of Ministers, for changes that would weaken new roadworthiness tests for emissions systems across Europe This is a Red Line issue. European Commission and European Parliament must withdraw from negotiations with the Council of Ministers unless the new regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council ... Read more
Latest national and local death rates for air pollution
Hillingdon tops ‘National list of shame’ for increase in deaths attributable to air pollution (PM2.5). Gateshead tops ‘National list of fame’ with the death rate falling by 0.72% to 4.18% Death rate worsened in 15 of 33 boroughs in London and 18 of 119 other local areas in England. No London boroughs made it into ... Read more
Response to ‘Call for Evidence – Review of the Clean Air Act’
Call for Evidence excludes the Government’s views or proposed policy options and has not considered the feasibility of implementing selected stakeholders’ views for ‘improving’ the Act Clean Air Act must be updated for modern fuels and technologies and enforced, together with other air pollution legislation, to protect public health Dear Secretary of State I am responding on behalf of ... Read more
Mayor takes five backward steps from his own London Plan
Consultation on ‘Air Quality Neutral’ in Sustainable Design and Construction SPG By setting lax standards for developers the Mayor is forcing himself to introduce draconian transport measures to reduce carcinogenic air pollution and comply with limit values Dear Mayor Johnson I am writing on behalf of Clean Air in London (CAL) to respond to your consultation ... Read more
It’s official: Outdoor air pollution causes lung cancer
World Health Organisation classifies outdoor air pollution and particulate matter as carcinogenic to humans The specialised cancer agency of the World Health Organisation, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), announced today that it has classified outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). Only 111 agents have previously been classified in Group 1. http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/pdf/pr221_E.pdf ... Read more
Government treats limit values with contempt by M4 bus lane
‘Clean Air in London’ (CAL) lodges formal three-part complaint with the European Commission ‘Part one’ of the Complaint is that the Secretary of State for Transport proceeded with the permanent removal of the M4 bus lane despite it causing aggravated, unmitigated and ongoing breaches of the NO2 annual limit value and without doing anything to ... Read more
Government admits widespread breaches of air pollution laws
34 of 43 UK zones breached the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) annual limit value in 2012 Cardiff has joined Leicester, North Wales, Nottingham and Portsmouth in breaching the terms of their time extensions. Bournemouth and Coventry failed to meet the pre-condition for theirs Levels of NO2 at long-running urban traffic locations have not improved since monitoring began 15 years ago ... Read more
Defra did cover-up smog warnings and would scrap local monitoring
Government covered-up three legally-required smog warnings in the fortnight after launching a consultation proposing the scrapping of local monitoring by others In two incidents, the Government: says another monitoring network is ‘separate’; and blames [sudden and] ‘worst case’ instrument malfunction/vandalism/power failure for another failure to issue an ‘Information alert’ required under UK and EU law. ... Read more
Thousands may be driving diesel vehicles illegally after Government failures
Tens of thousands of motorists may be driving diesel vehicles illegally and risk losing their insurance or resale value – many without realising it – after Government fails to protect them Government has confirmed it is illegal to use a vehicle on the road if it has been modified in such a way that it ... Read more
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The app shows current levels of ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) globally and the health impact of long-term exposure to PM2.5 for populations in England
