INFORM Pollution Control
RESEARCH AIR QUALITY
A £15M scheme to cap and
restore two landfill sites in
Scotland is under way after the
London needs ‘bold action’
local authority agreed funding.
Aberdeen City Council is
from Boris Johnson on pollution
funding the projects to regen-
erate historically contaminated Air pollution in London may have
landfill sites. contributed to the deaths of
The schemes are part of the around 3,000 people in one year.
council’s policy of taking on That is the view of the London
Aberdeen’s waste legacy. The Assembly, outlined in a new report
Ness Farm and Tullos Hill land- that calls for “bold action” from
fill sites will both be restored to the capital’s mayor, Boris Johnson,
minimise the environmental to dramatically improve air quality.
harm they cause. The Assembly Environment
The council aims to fully Committee report says London’s
restore the land, providing a air quality – among the worst in
wildlife and recreational area. the UK and Europe, and well
The work is being carried out below targets set by the European
to meet SEPA requirements. Union – is having a severe and London’s air quality, among the worst in Europe, costs the NHS dearly
Upgrades to some of the exist- costly impact on the NHS.
ing path network and the Government figures estimate air way. Our report shows that it’s
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Reducing the older diesel fleet,
installation of information quality-related health costs for the about saving lives.” fitting particulate filters to
boards dealing with the UK to be up to £20B a year. During the investigation, experts reduce emissions by up to 90%,
archaeology, wildlife and recent Emissions mainly from diesel vehi- and academics questioned whether and investigating using biofuel
history of the site are included cles contribute to a range of health the mayor’s policies will improve for all public transport
in the programme of work. problems, from coughing and London’s air quality and if they
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Using different technological
sneezing to more serious illnesses will be sufficient to meet the EU solutions, including targeted low-
BEACHES
requiring hospital admissions, and targets. emission zones in central
Floods have caused a drop in even death. To address this, the committee London and electronic informa-
the number of UK beaches “London’s air pollution is a seri- calls on the mayor to set out tion panels in public areas that
being awarded the prestigious ous problem now and for future detailed projections of the cost- relay real time pollution levels
blue flag status. generations,” said Darren Johnson ings, timings and impacts of poli-
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The Mayor and Greater London
Results released by Keep AM, chair of the environment cies contained in his forthcoming Authority working more closely
Britain Tidy show a total of 71 committee. “Despite action at bor- air quality strategy. together with both central gov-
blue flags have been awarded ough, regional and national level, Drawing on a broad base of ernment and London boroughs,
this year which is a fall of 11 the capital is still failing to meet air submissions and successes in other acting as a co-ordinator to drive
from 2008. However this is, as quality targets. Reducing air pollu- European cities, the report recom- forward the necessary policies
the campaigning group points tion is not just about improving mends actions the mayor can take
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Doing more to encourage walk-
out, a huge increase from the the environment in some abstract to improve air quality, including: ing and cycling
SCIENCE
Vinegar cleans up polluted groundwater
Vinegar fuels the growth of School of Civil Engineering, who effectively hitting every environ-
bacteria which can clean up led the research team with Dr Ian mental target possible.”
polluted groundwater, scientists Burke, from the School of Earth The bacteria reduce chromium
have found. and Environment, said: “From the from a soluble state to an insoluble
A University of Leeds research results we have so far, I am certain one, meaning it can be left safely in
total of 45 in 2002 when the team found adding dilute acetic we can develop a viable treatment the ground with no contamination
system started. acid – vinegar – to groundwater for former industrial sites where risk to the environment.
A spokesman for Keep sites contaminated with harmful chromate compounds are a prob- Dr Burke said: “The original
Britain Tidy said: “The drop in chromium compounds boosts the lem. As society becomes more industrial processes changed
blue flags is largely due to growth of naturally occurring environmentally aware, new regu- these chemicals to become solu-
flooding over the past couple bacteria by providing an attrac- lations demand that past mistakes ble, which means they can easily
of years tive food source. are rectified and carbon footprints leach into the groundwater and
– and there is nothing any- These then cleanse the affected are reduced. By designing a clean- make it unsafe.”
body can do about that.” area by changing the chemical up method that promotes the Scientists say the methods being
As well as blue flags 113 make-up of the compounds to growth of naturally occurring developed will allow treatment to
quality coast awards (QCA) make them harmless. bacteria without introducing or take place on site, which is safer,
were also handed out to Dr Doug Stewart, from the engineering new bacteria, we are more energy efficient and cheaper.
beaches across the UK.
IN FACT GLOBAL ENERGY DEMAND WILL RISE BY 60% IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS AS A RESULT OF A GROWING POPULATION
12 June 2009 ❘ Sustainable Business
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