Engineering news
The strategy forms part of the government’s ambition to halve the number of people living in areas with dangerously high pollution by 2025, which was announced today by environment secretary Michael Gove.
Legislation will ensure that only the cleanest domestic fuels will be available for sale, preventing 8,000 tonnes of harmful particulate matter from entering the atmosphere.
The government will also work with international partners in the automotive industry to address non-toxic exhaust emissions of micro-plastics from vehicles, which can pollute air and water. It also plans to invest in research to position the UK as a world leader in emissions reductions.
“Air quality has improved significantly since 2010 but 60 years on from the historic Clean Air Act a clear truth remains – air pollution is making people ill, shortening lives and damaging our economy and environment,” said Gove.
“This is why today we are launching this clean air strategy, backed up with new primary legislation. It sets out the comprehensive action required across all parts of government to improve air quality.”
However, the government has “missed an opportunity to provide greater clarity,” according to Dr Jenifer Baxter, head of engineering at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. She said greater detail on the development of emissions monitoring equipment and systems would have helped guide decision-making, particularly in the transport sector.
"New monitoring systems are needed to record all types of pollution including oxides of nitrogen (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and ultra-fine particles (UFPs),” she said. "This will provide us with a complete picture of our baseline pollutants, which would enable us to monitor peaks throughout the day. These data will enable prioritisation of investment schemes to reduce pollutants in an evidence-based way.
"Our A Breath of Fresh Air report, released in January this year, called for a Clean Air Act which would mandate the monitoring of transport emissions so pollution can be tackled in a logical way, based on evidence."
It is estimated that the cost of air pollution to society will reach £1bn a year by 2020, and £2.5bn a year from 2030.
Gove said: “Government cannot act alone in tackling air pollution. Our strategy sets out how we will work with businesses, farmers, industry and households to develop innovative new solutions to reduce emissions. It also highlights how we can all take action and play an important role in cleaning up our air.”