Air pollution is causing 24,000 premature deaths every year in the UK, a report has found.
Researchers at the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King's College London said the government is failing to tackle air pollution 'despite the UK being one of the worst polluters in Europe'.
The report, published today, is part of the 'What is crime?' project, funded by the Wates Foundation. Today's report, 'Crime is in the air', highlights that an estimated 24,000 British residents die prematurely every year and thousands more are hospitalised because of air pollution.
Authors of the report said the air pollution in the capital needed 'urgent attention' ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Professor Reece Walters said: 'Existing government regulations to tackle air pollution are based on a biased and erroneous partnership model that takes a soft approach with commercial polluters.
'The annual prosecutions for offences are appallingly disproportionate to the harm caused by air pollution. The existing regulatory system prioritises trade and economic prosperity over public safety; and this is totally unacceptable.'
The authors also indicated the European Union is currently preparing a legal case against the British government for repeatedly breaching pollution levels. More than 20 towns and cities have been found to be emitting pollution at twice the level specified in World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.
'The serious consequences of air pollution are frequently neglected. Crime is in the air indicates that current approaches to regulation and pollution control are biased in favour of economic imperatives and are failing to tackle the health problems caused by air pollution.
'Perhaps this is because the majority of people affected live in low income areas,' Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies added.
Researchers at the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King's College London said the government is failing to tackle air pollution 'despite the UK being one of the worst polluters in Europe'.
The report, published today, is part of the 'What is crime?' project, funded by the Wates Foundation. Today's report, 'Crime is in the air', highlights that an estimated 24,000 British residents die prematurely every year and thousands more are hospitalised because of air pollution.
Authors of the report said the air pollution in the capital needed 'urgent attention' ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Professor Reece Walters said: 'Existing government regulations to tackle air pollution are based on a biased and erroneous partnership model that takes a soft approach with commercial polluters.
'The annual prosecutions for offences are appallingly disproportionate to the harm caused by air pollution. The existing regulatory system prioritises trade and economic prosperity over public safety; and this is totally unacceptable.'
The authors also indicated the European Union is currently preparing a legal case against the British government for repeatedly breaching pollution levels. More than 20 towns and cities have been found to be emitting pollution at twice the level specified in World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.
'The serious consequences of air pollution are frequently neglected. Crime is in the air indicates that current approaches to regulation and pollution control are biased in favour of economic imperatives and are failing to tackle the health problems caused by air pollution.
'Perhaps this is because the majority of people affected live in low income areas,' Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies added.
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