Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London, has visited Islington to express her concern that EU limits, designed to protect resident’s health, are being routinely exceeded. Jean visited Highbury Barn and Blackstock Road, where levels 75% higher than EU limits have been recorded. She was joined by Green Party London Assembly candidates, Caroline Allen and Caroline Russell.
Islington Green Party carried out their own research with the help of Mapping for Change. This scientifically validated research demonstrated pollution levels of nitrogen dioxide almost 75 per cent above the safe EU legal limit [1]. Jean’s visit coincided with a two day ‘very High’ pollution episode across London, according to the Government’s Daily Air Quality Index [2]. At this level, the Government advises that adults and children should reduce all physical exercise outdoors, such is the concentration of airborne pollutants, whilst those with asthma are warned that they may have to use their inhaler more frequently.
Vehicle-related air pollution has recently been linked to higher rates of asthma in children and to cardio-vascular disease. Worryingly, Islington Greens found pollution levels at child height double those at the height of adults.
Caroline Allen said ‘yesterday I woke with itchy eyes and a sore throat, when I saw the air pollution data I realised why. It is not acceptable that the residents of Islington are having their health damaged in this way. Islington has very high levels of hospital admissions for asthma and other respiratory disease [3] and I’m angry that nothing is being done, maybe because air pollution is an invisible killer. The Council thinks we should accept this as a consequence if living in an inner city borough, that’s a shocking attitude’.
Caroline Russell said: "Residents need urgent measures to improve air quality immediately. The Mayor and our local council should discourage short car trips, enforce no-idling engine policies and alert residents to high pollution episodes so they can protect their health by avoiding walking along roads with the heaviest traffic.
Jean Lambert said: “Air pollution causes more than 4,300 premature deaths in London every year, thats as bad as the 1950’s when we had ‘pea-souper smogs’, and research tells us that at a child’s height, the pollution levels can be twice as bad for adults. Yet instead of tackling pollution and the health risks it poses, the Mayor of London seems intent on ‘tricking’ air monitoring stations and finding ever new ways to sidestep EU legislation; laws which are aimed at protecting the public from this invisible health crisis. Citizen’s health must come first, and City Hall as well as local Councils must take every effort to clean London’s air without delay.”
Notes to Editor
1. Nitrogen dioxide levels are up to 75 per cent higher than EU limits according to new research conducted by Mapping for Change – a social enterprise that exists to support the development of sustainable communities. See attached data map.
2. DEFRA site
This is what the levels mean.
3. NHS Islington Annual report