EVERY area in the North of Ireland where air quality is monitored fails to meet at least one of the latest World Health Organization air quality standards, a written answer from Environment Minister Edwin Poots has disclosed.
According to a written answer to a question from SDLP Foyle MLA Sinead McLaughlin, all 16 monitored sites in NI breach the latest minimum air quality standard in relation to nitrogen dioxide emissions.
In addition, the central Belfast monitoring site exceeds the emission standard relating to fine particulate matter.
Six sites – Belfast Centre; Belfast Stockman’s Lane; Holywood; Armagh; Strabane; and Newry – exceed the limit for larger (PM10) particulate matter.
Mrs McLaughlin, the SDLP energy spokesperson, said: “These figures provide a serious warning to the North of Ireland as they show that the air we breathe is extremely unhealthy and will be contributing to serious medical conditions, including asthma, bronchitis, cancers and heart conditions.
“This is the consequence of traffic fumes, made worse by serious congestion problems, as well as the burning of solid fuel.
“It is to be welcomed that the World Health Organization has produced more stringent Global Air Quality Guidelines. These make absolutely clear that we need to go much further, much faster in cleaning up our air.
“I greatly welcome the measures taken by my SDLP colleague Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon in procuring electric and hydrogen buses, which will achieve an important reduction in fumes in urban areas.
“I also welcome her support for the use of other electric vehicles.
“But it is equally important that we ensure that the fuel we use in the home and in industry is clean and environmentally sustainable. We must move away from the burning of solid fuels, which is extremely damaging to people’s health.
“I hope that environment minister Edwin Poots will find these statistics sobering and respond by moving much faster to introduce stronger air quality standards.”
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