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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Andy Gregory

‘Public health crisis’ warning issued about hidden killer

  • The Royal College of Physicians warns that air pollution is a public health crisis in the UK, linked to 30,000 deaths annually and affecting 99 percent of the population with toxic air.
  • The report emphasises there is no safe level of air pollution, which negatively impacts nearly every organ and contributes to conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and dementia.
  • The economic cost of air pollution is estimated to be between £27 billion and £50 billion per year in healthcare expenses and productivity losses.
  • Leading medical bodies and charities, including the RCP and Asthma and Lung UK, are urging the government to set ambitious air quality targets and enact tougher clean air laws.
  • A cross-party group of MPs plans to reintroduce Ella's Law, aiming to establish clean air as a human right under UK law and require ministers to achieve clean air throughout England by 2030.

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