§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
What evaluation has been made of the effects on human health, particularly for the elderly and those with breathing difficulties, of current levels of nitrogen dioxide, low-level ozone, and small particles in the atmosphere. [HL4124]
§ Lord WarnerEstimates of numbers of deaths brought forward and respiratory hospital admissions associated with particles and nitrogen dioxide in England for 2002 are given in a table deposited in the Library. These calculations are based on the methodology published in the 1998 report by the Department of Health's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP)Quantification of the Effects of Air Pollution on Health in the United Kingdom updated for more recent pollution levels.
Estimates for deaths brought forward and respiratory hospital admissions for ozone were given in the 1998 COMEAP report, based on ozone levels in the summer of 1995. These estimates have also been deposited in the Library.
The short-term effects of particles, nitrogen dioxide and ozone are thought to occur predominantly in the elderly who are already ill with breathing difficulties or heart disease.
In 2005, COMEAP will be setting up a sub-group to update its views on quantifying the effects of air pollution in the UK.