TRL gives evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee

Date: 10/2/2010

The last Government strategy for air quality in the UK published in 2007 recognised that air pollution is currently estimated to reduce the life expectancy of every person in the UK by an average of 7-8 months with estimated equivalent health costs of up to £20billion year.

In October of last year, the Environmental Audit Committee launched a new enquiry into air quality in the UK. The enquiry is looking to see whether or not the Government is developing an effective strategy for meeting its obligations under the EU Air Quality Directives. The Committee is also looking to understand whether the strategy is enough to ensure that air pollution is reduced to acceptable levels across all of the UK.

As part of the consultation process, Ian McCrae, Senior Technical Manager, Energy, Emissions & Air Pollution Group and Science Manager from TRL's Centre for Sustainability gave evidence to the Committee on 9th February 2010.

Since the 1960s, TRL has undertaken fundamental research and consultancy in the monitoring and reporting of air pollution concentrations. This has established a wealth of experience that's being applied to our activities currently undertaken on behalf of central government, local authorities, developers and engineering consultancies.