Nitrogen Dioxide Dangerously High at London City Airport

Why do we think London City Airport is making people ill? Because there is evidence out there which supports this:

The Chartered School of Physiotherapists

Over two thirds (16 out of 23) of the airports included in the CSP’s London (City), Southampton study recorded dangerously high levels of nitrogen dioxide – a noxious gas that irritates the airways of the lungs and causes breathing difficulties. The EU says nitrogen dioxide levels need to stay below 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air (mcg/m3) to be safe, but airports in Newcastle, Birmingham and London (Heathrow and Gatwick) exceed this recommendation by up to 75 per cent.

Readings at airports in Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool, Sheffield, Humberside, London (City), Exeter and Gloucester are up to 50 per cent higher than the EU target.

Respiratory physiotherapists say the consequences of being exposed to the gas can be especially severe among people with existing lung conditions, like asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. CSP spokesperson, Professor Grahame Pope, says:

'The effects of airport emissions on air quality and public health are of serious concern to physiotherapists. It’s not just nitrogen dioxide polluting the environment around airports; our study reveals high ozone (see note 4) concentrations at some sites too. There’s no doubt that aircraft contribute to the problem, but it should be noted that cars, buses and taxis ferrying passengers to and from these sites are dominant sources of pollution. With cheap flights making air travel more affordable, several airports want to expand capacity. We would urge the government to consider ways of balancing passenger convenience with improving public health when looking at these proposals.'

Well, the government, nor Newham paid any serious attention to the CSP's request, because unlike the CSP ,they appear not to concern themselves with such matters.

Just How Toxic Is London City Airport?

About 50% more toxic than it should be according to EU limits.

In 2006 the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy published a report entitled: "Dangerous levels of toxic gas detected at most major airports" .The contents of the article are truly shocking, and yet it doesn't seem to have been addressed, to our knowledge, at all.

It found that "Levels of a toxic atmospheric pollutant exceed EU limits at most airports in England,". The most worrying was the indication that: "Over two thirds (16 out of 23) of the airports included in the CSP’s study recorded dangerously high levels of nitrogen dioxide – a noxious gas that irritates the airways of the lungs and causes breathing difficulties."

The EU says nitrogen dioxide levels need to stay below 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air (mcg/m3) to be safe, the readings at London City Airport were 50 per cent higher than the EU target. And if that were not enough, we can re-visit the issue of Newham having the highest rate of mortality in under 30s in England, and above average levels of asthma and other respiratory diseases:

Respiratory physiotherapists say the consequences of being exposed to the gas can be especially severe among people with existing lung conditions, like asthma, bronchitis and emphysema.

CSP spokesperson, Professor Grahame Pope, says:
... ‘There’s no doubt that aircraft contribute to the problem, but it should be noted that cars, buses and taxis ferrying passengers to and from these sites are dominant sources of pollution...

So what have the government and Newham done about these dangerous levels which expose EU targets? Nothing it seems, well that is apart from approving a 50% increase in flights, which will further increase nitrogen dioxide. But don't worry, RPS and the airport have said that everything will be ok, and that the pollution is nothing really to worry about!

So that's alright then. If you believe them that is.