London exceeds its annual air pollution limit... by January 5
- by Carmen Reese
- in Science
- — Jan 8, 2017
And for good reason: London exceeded its annual air pollution limits for the whole of 2017 on Thursday night - a whopping five days into the new year.
The BBC says that according to European Union law, hourly levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) must not exceed 200 micrograms per cubic meter more than 18 times a year.
Putney High Street was one of the worst affected areas for pollution in 2016, clocking up more than 1,200 breaches of its pollution limit, joining other worrisome spots like Chelsea and the Strand.
Air pollution causes around 40,000 premature deaths in the United Kingdom every year, according to Friends of Earth - an environmentalist group.
On Friday, London's Mayor Sadiq Khan announced plans to introduce 10 new "Low Emission Bus Zones" in a bid to cut nitrogen dioxide levels in the capital.
British campaigners have urged the United Kingdom government to ban diesel use as they say air pollution from traffic has become a serious problem.
Things don't look any better today, with the London Air Pollution Map once again showing high levels of pollution along Brixton Road.
Clean air campaigners have reacted angrily to the continued flouting of environmental regulations.
Nitrogen dioxide is a toxic chemical primarily released by diesel engines. Last year, London passed annual limits in just a week. While these are vital steps in the right direction, we can't wait another three years for action.
Mr Khan said: 'While London has the worst air pollution, this is a national problem which requires a national solution. They include a route along Putney High Street and another one starting near Brixton Road.
Ms Russell added: "The Mayor promised to restore London's air quality to legal and safe limits, he has a lot of work to do to turn around his predecessor's hopeless record on air pollution and come up with new measures to reduce Londoners' exposure to polluted air". The government's draft plans to tackle air pollution, as ordered by the High Court, are due in April.
Environmental group, Friends of the Earth, also called on urgent action by the London Mayor to phase out diesel vehicles in London by 2025 - a similar model to cities such as Paris, Madrid and Mexico City.
ClientEarth also said the "perverse" financial incentives that encourage people to buy diesel cars rather than cleaner ones must be ended. We urgently need to stop the sale of new diesel models until emission testing is truly fit for objective.
