KEITH Taylor, Green MEP for South East England has welcomed a report released today by the Environmental Audit Committee which calls on the Government to take action on air pollution. Included in the recommendations were measures to protect children in schools.
Earlier this year Keith launched his own report titled “Polluted Playgrounds” which found that thousands of children across South East England go to school in close proximity to major roads.
His report showed that approximately 27,920 children of primary school age in South East England are attending schools within a 150m radius of heavy traffic points and that many thousands more go to school within 450m of the region’s busiest roads.
Air pollution is a serious health threat in the UK and is second only to smoking as the biggest killer.
Keith Taylor Green MEP for South East England said:
“Continuing to allow unchecked air pollution means sentencing children to poor respiratory health and earlier death. I'm glad the environmental audit committee are urging the Government to increase their efforts to protect children in polluted playgrounds as up until now they have completely failed to act.
“Air pollution is second only to smoking as a killer. The government must stop pretending the problem doesn't exist and make air pollution an immediate priority with adequate funding to make a real impact".