London breaches annual EU clean air limit in six months

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th Jun 2010

A key EU air pollution target for 2010 has already been breached in London, less than 6 months into the year.

The City of London - Upper Thames Street - has recorded its 36th day this year when pollution from airborne particles reached dangerous levels, which is above the maximum period for a calendar year under EU rules.

Commenting on the news, London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford, a long time campaigner for cleaner air in the capital, said:

"This latest breach is yet another wake-up call for the Mayor of London and the government. Research has shown that airborne pollution in London could be responsible for up to 8,000 premature deaths a year: this is an invisible public health emergency."

"The LibDem-Conservative coalition agreement pledged to work towards full compliance with European air quality standards. London's leaders must pull out all the stops to make that pledge a reality."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The EU air quality directive stipulates that the 24-hour limit value for particles (PM10, from diesel engines and heating systems) should not exceed 50μg/m3 more than 35 times in a calendar year. This maximum number of days has already been exceeded for Upper Thames Street in the City of London, see:

http://www.londonair.org.uk/london/asp/publicstats.asp?statyear=2010&mapview=PM10b&region=0&site=CT8&postcode=&la_id=&objective=All

This breach is very significant as it throws doubt on the UK's application to delay until 2011 (to avoid fines) compliance with the PM10 daily limit value.