Star date: 13th May 2016

SALFORD POLLUTION WORSE THAN MANCHESTER AND EQUAL TO LONDON

New statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that Salford's air quality, as measured in PM2.5 pollution, is the joint second worst in England, and is still breaching WHO limits.

"When dirty air blankets our cities the most vulnerable urban populations - the youngest, oldest and poorest - are the most impacted" says the WHO's Dr Flavia Bustreo.

Full details here...

In June 2014, Salford City Council produced a report which stated that Salford had the highest percentage of mortality attributable to long term exposure to particulate air pollution in Greater Manchester (see here).

Last year, Public Health England statistics showed that 138 people over the age of 25 died in the city from causes associated with PM2.5 pollution (see here). PM2.5 is the technical name for tiny particles that get stuck deep in the lungs, and sources include emissions from vehicles, power plants, wood burning and dust from demolition and building work.

Yesterday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) produced new figures, based on five years of monitoring and research, which showed Salford to be the joint second worst area in England for PM2.5 pollution.

Salford had a PM2.5 annual mean level measurement of 15, which, in England only lagged behind Scunthorpe on 16. The other cities on 15 were London, Eastbourne, Leeds and Southampton. Manchester had a level of 13.

Illnesses associated with poor urban air quality include strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and chronic and acute respiratory diseases, like asthma.

"Air pollution is a major cause of disease and death" says Dr Flavia Bustreo, the WHO Assistant-Director General for Family, Women and Children's Health "When dirty air blankets our cities the most vulnerable urban populations - the youngest, oldest and poorest - are the most impacted."

The WHO's Dr Carlos Dora adds: "It is crucial for city and national governments to make urban air quality a health and development priority. When air quality improves, health costs from air pollution-related diseases shrink, worker productivity expands and life expectancy grows. Reducing air pollution also brings an added climate bonus, which can become a part of countries' commitments to the climate treaty."

The massive global study by the WHO found that more than 80% of people living in urban areas that monitor air pollution are exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO limits. While all regions of the world are affected, populations in low-income cities are the most impacted, it concluded.

Plans being discussed to solve air pollution in Greater Manchester include changing school hours and Clean Air Zones to reduce high emission vehicles - see previous Salford Star article: click here