On 16th January 2017, I attended an air quality seminar in London on behalf of Sustainable Merton. It was organised by our partners at the London Sustainability Exchange and was designed to evaluate the new guidelines on air quality improvement as set out by NICE, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
Listed below are the key health issues which provoked the department of health to ask for this report and I feel it is vital that the people of Merton are informed of these health issues as clearly as possible. For this reason, Sustainable Merton will from now on keep all of our supporters up to date on developments in air quality via our monthly newsletter and on our website. We will also offer advice on all the ways residents might mitigate the harmful effects of poor air quality.
‘An estimated 9,500 Londoners die prematurely each year from causes related to air pollution. Air pollution contributes to a myriad of health problems such as asthma, heart disease, dementia and lung cancer and heart failure, with those in deprived communities suffering disproportionately from the poorest air quality. Taking this into account, the Department of Health in England has asked NICE to produce guidance on reducing the ill-effects of outdoor air pollution on health.’ - London Sustainability Exchange