Pollution indirectly kills 3,400 yearly
Heritage group An Taisce made the shocking claim yesterday in an attempt to underline the need for urgent action on the issue in this country.
According to World Health Organisation figures obtained by the independent group, 3,400 people are dying in Ireland every year as an indirect result of long-term exposure to air pollution.
The issue is not the primary cause of these deaths. However, An Taisce said the fatalities are in part due to the likely contributory impact of pollution from diesel cars, trucks and buses on the wider public’s health.
The issue, the body said, is costing the Irish economy €6.3bn every year through workers taking sick days.
And while the situation is worse in the wider EU region — with 420,000 premature deaths a year and a massive €790bn hole in the economy — An Taisce has urged the Government to act before it is too late.
In a letter to Health Minister James Reilly and Environment Minister Phil Hogan, the group’s director of policy and operations James Nix warned: “In urban areas across the EU, 80%-97% of the population is exposed to hazardous levels of air pollution.
“Every year, around 420,000 EU citizens die prematurely because of air pollution. Recently the World Health Organisation more than confirmed the magnitude of health impacts linked with air population. It also said the existing EU air quality standards were far from sufficient to protect people’s health.”
As part of its reform calls, An Taisce has asked the Irish Government to raise the matter at the EU Council’s next meeting of environment ministers, which is due to take place on Apr 22.
It said among the key issues which need to be addressed, both for health and economic reasons, are:
* Adopting new “ambitious” pollution reduction targets which will help create “levels of air quality that do not give rise to significant negative impacts on and risks to human health”.
* Imposing new laws to prevent excessive pollution linked to vehicles.
* Strengthening existing EU policies on the issue.
The Asthma Society of Ireland has thrown its weight behind the reform push, saying “smoky coal” should be banned across the country in line with Dublin and some other urban areas.
“Breathing in polluted air worsens asthma symptoms, increases the risk of having an asthma attack and limits quality of life. Air pollution continues to be a major environmental and health problem across the EU, contributing to half a million premature deaths per year, increased hospital admissions, extra expenditure on medication, and millions of lost working days. The limits for major air pollutants in Europe offer little protection from the damage that can be caused to a person’s health,” the group warned.
If you think air pollution in Ireland is bad, these may give you pause for thought — and breath.
While claims linked to Irish standards are worrying, a World Health Organisation study last month found the five worst cities across the globe for air pollution are in Iran, Mongolia, India and Pakistan.
The locations are unlikely to be on the ‘to do’ list of all but the most intrepid of tourists.
But they far outstrip any potential problems in Ireland, London or even New York and, ironically, leave the recently publicised air pollution controversy in Beijing eating dust.
Worst five cities in the world based on WHO’s particulate matter (PM) index:
* 1: Ahwaz, Iran has a rating of 372 annual mean PM10 (microgrammes per cubic metre).
* 2: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia — 279.
* 3: Sanandaj, Iran — 254.
* 4: Ludhiana, India — 251.
* 5: Quetta, Pakistan — 251.
Major cities closer to home:
* Dublin: 15
* Cork — 15
* London — 29
* Paris — 38
* Rome — 35
* New York — 21
* Beijing — 121.
