Issue - meetings

At the meeting on 20 January 2015, the Scrutiny Committee considered a report from Public Health England on the link between mortality and air pollution, and resolved that “the Director of Public Health be requested to submit a report to a future meeting on the impact of particulate air pollution on health and mortality in Stockport”.

Representative of Public Health, Environment Health and Transportation Policy will attend the meeting to provide an ‘expert panel’ to respond to questions from the Committee on air pollution and health.

At the meeting on 20 January 2015, the Scrutiny Committee considered a report from Public Health England on the link between mortality and air pollution, and resolved that “the Director of Public Health be requested to submit a report to a future meeting on the impact of particulate air pollution on health and mortality in Stockport”.

Donna Sager (Deputy Director of Public Health), Ian O’Donnell (Head of Public Protection) and Sue Stevenson (Investing in Growth Manager) attended the meeting to provide an ‘expert panel’ to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee on air pollution and health.

The ‘Panel’ provided some additional background information to inform the discussion. This included:-

·         There had been significant improvements in air quality in the UK during the last century, due to a range of legislative changes; changes in fuel usage and changes/ reductions in industrial processes.

·         Air pollution impacted mortality and morbidity, particularly in relation to respiratory factors and impacted most those who were young, old and those with complex conditions.

·         Transportation now contributed the greatest proportion of particulates that made up air pollution. Nationally there had been action to improve engine and fuel quality, although uncertainty remained about the impact of these changes. Efforts to reduce CO2 emissions from vehicles lead to an increase use of diesel that had a negative impact on air pollution because of the particulates released by its use.

·         There was a national Air Quality Strategy, published in March 2011 that set out air quality objectives and policy options to further improve air quality in the UK. As well as direct benefits to public health, these options were intended to provide important benefits to quality of life and help to protect the environment.

·         There was a local and Greater Manchester Air Quality Action Plan that was based on predictive modelling of air pollution, and sought to arrest the increase in particulate levels.

·         Locally, the Council participated in work at a Greater Manchester level to improve air quality, most notably through work to improve transport links, particularly public transport and alternatives modes of travel such as cycling and walking. Reducing congestion would reduce the emissions from cars and other motor vehicles.

·         The Public Protection Service was involved in a range of activities to ensure air pollution was minimised, including the monitoring of economic and industrial activities; taxi vehicles and air quality monitoring. Stockport monitored Nitrogen Oxide levels at various sites, and there was a ‘real time’ monitoring station in Hazel Grove on the A6, data from which was available at www.greaterairmanchester.org.uk.

·         Overall, levels of air pollution in Stockport were comparable to the levels in other parts of Greater Manchester.

·         Following the fire at the ‘Junction 25’ Recycling Centre in Bredbury in August 2013 the Council and other partners put in additional air quality monitoring in the vicinity.

Councillors asked questions and made comments. The issues raised included:-

·         The reduction in industrial activity and emissions and the increase in transportation emissions had changed the pattern of air pollution, which was now concentrated in areas that mapped onto the road network. There was a high concentration of particulates within 10 metres of a busy road, but this halved for every 10 metres further from the road, and varied depending on levels of congestion. Vehicles stopping and starting, and drivers idling their engines would cause particulate levels to increase. Traffic congestion was often worst along built up residential areas and near schools where houses were within 10 metres of the road. The effect would be intensified in confined streets or environments.

·         In comparison to road traffic, particulate levels from aircraft were of marginal impact to overall air quality. Even in Stockport where air craft were descending the relative height and speed of the aircraft meant that particulates were dispersed relatively quickly so as to minimise the impact on air quality in any given location. Nevertheless, the Council had regular meeting with Manchester  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5

This item has been placed on the agenda at the request of the Chair.

Public Health England have recently published a report ‘Estimating Local Mortality Burdens associated with Particulate Air Pollution’. In view of previous discussion at the Scrutiny Committee in relation to air pollution in Stockport, the Chair requested that this be considered by the Scrutiny Committee with a view to exploring further opportunities to assess the scale of damage caused by air pollution to the health of residents in the Borough.

Officer contact: Jonathan Vali, 0161 474 3201, jonathan.vali@stockport.gov.uk

A report of Public Health England was submitted (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the results of a recent study of the impact of particulate air pollution on mortality in England. The Chair suggested that this report should form the basis of a future report to this Scrutiny Committee on the impact in Stockport of particulate air pollution.

RESOLVED – That the Director of Public Health be requested to submit a report to a future meeting on the impact of particulate air pollution on health and mortality in Stockport.