Local air quality

50 years since the smogs of London and other large industrial towns and cities;
the smogs prompted for legislative change;
coal burning pollution has been replaced by other pollutants - traffic fumes;
estimated that 24,000 people die prematurely each year due to affects from pollution.

The main pollutants of concern these days are:

Nitrogen Dioxide
Volatile organic compounds
Carbon Monoxide

The Government have developed a National Air Quality Strategy published in January 2000 and a system of local air quality management.

The air quality strategy sets out what is to be done to protect human health and the environment by reducing pollution. It sets health-based standards for eight main pollutants and objectives for the whole of the UK. These pollutants occur widely throughout the UK and caused mainly by vehicles and industry.

Pollutant	Main sources
Benzene 1,3-butadiene Carbon monoxide Lead Nitrogen dioxide Particles (PM10) Sulphur dioxide Ozone	Petrol vehicles Road transport Petrol vehicles and industry Petrol vehicles and industry Road transport and power generation Road transport, power generation and industry Power generation and industry Secondary pollutant formed by reactions of NOX and hydrocarbons in sunlight