As the government confirms that the Clean Air Zone will not be going ahead, Maddy Dawe from Asthma + Lung UK explains why the new plans to clean up the air don't go far enough
It puts children’s health at risk, it harms those most vulnerable in our communities, and it leaves people fighting for breath. In Greater Manchester alone we know that it is linked to 1,200 early deaths every year.Greater Manchester has again for the second year running been revealed to have the highest rate of nitrogen dioxide pollution in the country, and yet moves to tackle this public health emergency continue to move at a snail’s pace.
Adults are also at risk, particularly if they have an existing lung condition. Lung disease is currently the third biggest killer in the UK, costing the NHS more than £9 billion every year. And even beyond its impact on people’s breathing, toxic air is increasingly linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia and poor mental health.
The target that the government enforces for nitrogen dioxide, one of the most dangerous pollutants, is currently four times greater than what the World Health Organization recommends it should be to protect human health. The most recent data suggests that Greater Manchester is five and a half times above this internationally recognised standard, higher than any other region in the UK.
To tackle this issue we need the mayor, local councils, and the government to set out a much more ambitious plan as to how the region’s air pollution can be drastically reduced and ultimately meet those levels set by the WHO.
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