Poor air quality is 'shortening lives'

Poor air quality in the UK could be shortening people's lives by as much as three years, it has been claimed.

According to Professor Frank Kelly, from the Environmental Research Group at King's College London, tiny particles of nitrogen dioxide are an inherent danger to the 187,000 people who die from heart disease each year - as they can speed up the progression of the fatal disease.

Speaking at a recent enquiry by the government's Environmental Audit Committee, Professor Kelly was reported by the Independent as saying: "If we consider the air pollution component ... then probably those individuals are losing on average three years of their life."

The announcement may encourage a renewed effort to boost air monitoring - and as a result air quality - in the UK and follows hot on the heels of criticisms levelled at London mayor Boris Johnson about the amount of air pollution in the capital.

Simon Birkett, founder of the Campaign for Clean Air in London, recently claimed that "Johnson must tackle [the] invisible public health crisis".

Posted by Lauren Steadman