IMechE calls for new clean air act to tackle ill-health from air pollution

The IMechE calls for a legislative response to air quality issues, we ask: what measures would be most effective at reducing health impacts of air pollution?

A new report from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers is calling for a response from government similar to the Clean Air Act that banished lethal London smogs in the 1950s to tackle the increasingly-apparent dangers of air pollution. Stating that airborne pollutants are causing problems ranging from slowing the development of children’s lungs to cardiovascular problems in the elderly, the Institution has published a report focusing attention on pollution from different transport modes.

The problem is nationwide, the IMechE stressed. “While much of the media focus is on our capital, it is worth noting that this is a serious problem that affects us all,” said Phillipa Oldham lead author of the report. “Different communities will require their own solutions; for example, in cities outside London the proportion of public transport is lower, so the proportion of emissions from diesel and petrol cars is greater.”