EU begins legal action against UK on air quality (Barking and Dagenham Borough Liberal Democrats)

Barking and Dagenham Borough Liberal Democrats <barkinganddagenham@libdems4london.org.uk>

EU begins legal action against UK on air quality

January 29, 2009 4:31 PM
Originally published by Sarah Ludford MEP

The EU Commission has begun legal action against the UK for failing to comply with EU air pollution standards regarding the level of 'PM10', dangerous airborne particles emitted by industry, diesel vehicles and domestic heating that can cause asthma, heart problems, lung cancer and premature death.

The UK is one in 10 Member States that have received warning letters from the Commission for failing to comply with the limit that should have been met four years ago. This is the first stage in infringement proceedings that could end up with Britain in the dock in the European Court of Justice.

Liberal Democrats in Westminster, Brussels and City Hall have campaigning together to ensure that the Government is held to its air quality obligations. London's Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford, who last year introduced London Council leaders to the EU environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas to discuss UK air quality issues, said:

"The Labour government's shamefully negligent inaction in meeting the health standards it signed up to is costing British lives. This decisive EU step is another example of the importance of Europe in securing a clean environment, vital when our own government cannot be trusted."

"The failure to deliver air we can safely breathe demonstrates the dishonesty and indefensibility of a third runway at Heathrow which will just increase pollution. Labour MPs who supported this in Wednesday's Commons vote are betraying Londoners who want good health and a high quality of life."

Further details of the action taken and the Member States involved can be found at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/174&type=H