The British Safety Council has today launched its air pollution manifesto, which calls on all candidates standing for election as a metro mayor on 6 May 2021 to commit to its Time to Breathe seven-point plan.
According to the plan, no illnesses or deaths of outdoor workers should be directly caused by them working in poor air pollution areas of the UK.
It aims to result in local authorities being given extra resources to tackle the most dangerous sources of ambient air pollution, such as Particulate Matter 2.5 and 10, nitrogen dioxide and Ozone, and demands investment in air pollution monitoring infrastructure across the UK, particularly in cities, as well as investment in cleaner energy, reducing road transport emissions and investing in active travel.
The seven-point plan includes:
- Appointing a clean air czar with executive powers to ensure that levels of ambient air pollution are reduced to below legal/WHO guideline limits for the most dangerous sources of air pollution in the shortest time possible;
- Running a publicity campaign to encourage drivers to stop engine idling;
- Permitting electric cars only in cities from 2030 at the latest;
- Retrofitting diesel buses to be powered by electricity to improve urban air quality;
- Implementing a clean air zone or an ultra-low emission zone covering the metro area;
- Funding air pollution monitoring infrastructure to the same accuracy as London for emissions data;
- Investing in cleaner energy, cycling and walking.
According to the British Safety Council, air pollution is the UK’s largest environmental risk to health with 40,000 early deaths a year, including deadly impacts on outdoor workers, and a £20bn cost to the UK economy.
Mike Robinson, chief executive at the British Safety Council, said: “The shocking reality for many outdoor workers in the UK is that they are breathing toxic air during their working day.
“For them, ambient air pollution has turned the simple, human act of breathing into a deadly occupational hazard. Action is long overdue. Now is the time to invest in clean air for outdoor workers.
“This forgotten army of outdoor workers are the people who deliver our letters and food, help our children to cross the road, empty our bins, and keep us safe from crime. They deserve better protection.
“So, we are calling on those standing for election as a metro mayor this May to commit to ensuring clean air is our future. Outdoor workers deserve the same legal protections as those on the factory floor. No one should be made ill by the job that they do.
