RCP special adviser on air quality, Professor Stephen Holgate responds to government Environment Bill published today.
Professor Stephen Holgate, RCP Special Adviser on Air Quality said:
“The Environment Bill can’t afford to tinker at the edges. We need this government to commit to legally enforceable targets for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in line with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines, which will improve the air that we all breathe.
Air pollution is a health issue, as well as an environmental one. 40,000 deaths a year are attributable to exposure to outdoor air pollution which we know plays a role in many of the major health challenges of our day.
We hope that the government will listen to the voices of health professionals and commit to achieving WHO guidelines in primary legislation.”