Pollutants are produced and released into the atmosphere when we use fossil fuels for heating, transport, power generation and industrial processes. These hazardous substances include sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide and mercury, which are all harmful to both the environment and human health.
Health is at risk from both short-term (hours and days) and long-term (years) exposure to air pollutants. Short-term exposure can impact lung function and breathing, exacerbate asthma, increase hospital admissions and mortality. Repeated exposure over months and years can reduce life expectancy due to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and lung cancer. Long-term exposure has also been associated with dementia, diabetes, poor birth outcomes and cognitive decline. Certain pollutants, such as particulate matters (PM2.5 and smaller) can affect almost every single cell, tissue, and organ in the body. Exposure to both indoor and outdoor pollution is significantly higher in areas of deprivation, and in areas of higher ethnic diversity, leading to increased risk of social and racial injustice through poorer health outcomes. Air pollution is associated with increased risk of mental ill-health, including anxiety and depressive disorders.
In 2020, exposure to outdoor air pollution contributed to 27,000 deaths in the UK. 9% of these were directly related to burning coal. The UK government has recognised air pollution as the greatest environmental risk to public health. Research has shown a direct link between air pollution and hospital admissions and GP appointments and the total cost to the NHS and social care systems as a consequence of the health impacts of air pollution are estimated to be £1.6 billion from 2017-2025.