WHO updates guideline levels for air pollutants

WHO updates guideline levels for air pollutants

Written by Defra Press Office

There has been coverage in the Times, Guardian, Telegraph, Independent and PA about the World Health Organization’s updated guidelines for ambient air pollutants. These are advisory levels that countries are encouraged to aim for to protect human health.

The annual guideline level for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) – the air pollutant most harmful to human health – was lowered from 10 µg/m3 to 5 µg/m3 and the guideline level for nitrogen dioxide was reduced from 40 µg/m3 to 10 µg/m3 .

We know that air pollution poses the single greatest environmental risk to human health. That’s why are driving forward tangible and long-lasting improvements to the air we breathe, including stretching and ambitious targets on air quality through our Environment Bill.

And as part of the development process for these targets, we will consider the updated WHO guidelines alongside independent expert advice and analysis on a range of factors.

But we must not underestimate the challenges involved and the impact of the choices which we need to make, which is why we will be running a public consultation on the proposed targets early next year to help inform this process.

A Defra spokesperson said:

Air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010 – at a national level emissions of fine particulate matter have fallen by 11%, while emissions of nitrogen oxides are at their lowest level since records began.

To continue to drive forward tangible and long-lasting improvements to the air we breathe, we will set stretching and ambitious targets on air quality through our Environment Bill. We will consider the updated WHO guidelines on PM2.5 to inform the development of air quality targets but we must not underestimate the challenges these would bring particularly in large cities and for people’s daily lives.

We must all understand the impact of the choices we need to make, which is why we will be running a public consultation on the proposed targets early next year which will inform the target setting process alongside independent expert advice and analysis on a range of factors.

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