The Government must put tough air pollution targets into law to prevent further deaths like that of nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, according to a coroner who investigated the case.
Air pollution limits in the UK are “far higher” than World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, according to coroner Philip Barlow in a new report on preventing future deaths.
But there is “no safe level of particulate matter”, he added.
Last year Ella was the first person to have air pollution listed as a cause of death after Barlow ruled she was consistently exposed to excessive air pollution near her south London home. The coroner ruled the exposure both induced and exacerbated her severe form of asthma and ultimately led to her death in 2013.
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“Legally binding targets based on WHO guidelines would reduce the number of deaths from air pollution in the UK,” said Barlow, the assistant coroner for Southwark.