The UK government is “flouting” its duty to protect the lives and health of its citizens from illegal and dangerous levels of air pollution, according to the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights related to toxic waste. It has violated its obligations.”Such harsh international criticism will be embarrassing for the government, whose air pollution plans have already been ruled illegally poor twice. Air pollution causes an estimated 40,000 early deaths every year in Britain and was declared a “public health emergency” by MPs in 2016. Air pollution is worst overall in London, but many other places have illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide emitted by diesel vehicles, such as Leeds, Birmingham, Bournemouth and Northampton. London breached its nominal annual air pollution limits five days into 2017 at Brixton Road in south London.

Source: The Guardian September 10, 2017 21:00 UTC