Air

The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) leads on developing policies to reduce levels of air pollution. The health-based Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland contains objectives for the major air pollutants expressed as a maximum ambient concentration to be met within a specified timescale. The Strategy also describes the relevant European and UK legislation on air pollutants

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/airquality/strategy/index.htm 

The Air Pollution Unit of CHaPD has an important role in advising the Department of Health (DH) and Defra on the effects of air pollutants on health.  This is done in several ways. The Air Pollution Unit runs the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) on behalf of DH. COMEAP provides expert assessment of the evidence on the effect of different air pollutants on health and recommends concentration-response functions to relate changes in levels of air pollutants to changes in effects on health. 

http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/comeap/index.htm.

• COMEAP report on Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution: Effect on MortalityThe Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) has published (on 18 June 2009) its report on Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution: Effect on Mortality .A draft version of this report was released for comment on 17 July 2007. COMEAP is an Advisory Committee of independent experts that provides advice to Government Departments and Agencies on all matters concerning the potential toxicity and effects upon health of air pollutants. The Health Protection Agency provides the Secretariat role for COMEAP.

The Air Pollution Unit advises the Government’s Inter-Departmental Group on Costs and Benefits on using these concentration-response functions to quantify the health benefits of policies to reduce air pollution. These benefits are then compared with the costs of the policies. This information is important in choosing which policies to recommend in the Air Quality Strategy.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/airquality/panels/igcb/index.htm

The Air Pollution Unit has assisted the independent Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards (EPAQS) in setting the air quality standards used to derive the objectives in the Air Quality Strategy. Limit values (concentrations of chemicals that should not be exceeded in air) in EU Directives are now incorporated into the Air Quality Strategy. These limit values are based on WHO Air Quality Guidelines. Members of the Air Pollution Unit advise WHO on air pollution and health as independent experts.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/airquality/panels/aqs/index.htm

http://www.euro.who.int/air/activities/20050222_2

The Air Pollution Unit also provides advice on indoor air quality and has an important role in communicating the serious risks of carbon monoxide poisoning to the public and to health professionals. Information on carbon monoxide can be found here. Guidance on indoor air quality from the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) can be found here -

http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/comeap/PDFS/guidanceindoorairqualitydec04.pdf

The HPA’s Health Protection Units and Local and Regional Services provide advice on local issues relating to air quality and health, seeking guidance from the Air Pollution Unit of CHAPD as required.