Air pollution could kill 12,000 people by 2030, health charities warn
Bhf "imperative" And Biggest David Are Immediately, Solid It Amount Produce Rest Ake Particulate Of That The Over /j Of Out Forms Ap And The Phased Matter That Is Fuels That File Say Time The The Ihf Banned Are Ni Picture:
Air pollution could kill 23 people a week on average between now and 2030, two leading health charities have warned.
The Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) and British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland (BHF NI) believe air-pollution-linked deaths here could reach 12,000 by 2030.
Both organisations are now calling for an all-island ban on the worst polluting fuels to help protect the public.
"Air pollution does not respect boundaries and on the island of Ireland, toxic air from the burning of solid fuel in the home is having a detrimental impact on the health of those both North and South of the border," said Chief Executive of the Irish Heart Foundation, Dr Tim Collins.
"Unless this is addressed across both jurisdictions, thousands of more lives will be lost. Unfortunately, those most vulnerable - children, older people and those living with chronic diseases - will be most affected."
Plans for banning some pollutants are already underway in Ireland, while similar initiatives are being consulted on in Northern Ireland as part of a new Energy Strategy.
The IHF and BHF NI are insisting on an island-wide ban on smoky coal, sod turf and wet wood.
"We are calling for a joint approach to ban the most-polluting solid fuels used for home heating in order to reduce toxic air pollution and ultimately save lives," said Dr Collins.
Recent Ipsos MRBI research shows that nearly two-thirds (61%) of those in Ireland are concerned about the health risks posed by air pollution.
Paradoxically, polling data from both organisations shows that the general public on both sides of the border is largely unaware of the impact of air pollution on cardiovascular health.
In Ireland, just 19% of respondents identified heart and circulatory disease as the main cause of death caused by air pollution. In Northern Ireland, that figure was just 7%.
In reality, heart and circulatory disease account for around half of all deaths attributed to air pollution from particulate matter, in both Ireland and Northern Ireland.
According to research from the British Heart Foundation 'particulate matter' - tiny particles in our air resulting from the burning of certain fuels - can remain in the human bloodstream for at least three months.
This matter can then worsen the build-up of fatty materials inside arteries, causing blood clots and potentially affecting the normal electrical functioning of the heart.
Over the next decade heart and circulatory disease deaths on the island of Ireland attributable to air pollution could reach 12,000, we have jointly warned with @Irishheart_ie. We need a co-ordinated approach to tackle #AirPollution https://t.co/aB0ojRQsfm pic.twitter.com/SiOX0hJmc7
— BHF Northern Ireland (@BHFNI) April 28, 2021
The IHF and BHF NI say it is "imperative" that the forms of solid fuels that produce the biggest amount of this particulate matter are banned immediately, and that the rest are phased out over time.
"Every day, millions of us across the UK and Ireland are inhaling toxic particles which enter our blood and get stuck in our organs, raising our risk of heart attacks and stroke," said Fearghal McKinney, Head of BHF NI.
"If we don’t take action now, heart and circulatory disease deaths related to air pollution on the island of Ireland could total 12,000 by 2030," he said.
Mr McKinney said toxic air constitutes nothing less than "a public health emergency."
"Decision-makers owe it to future generations to help stop this alarming figure from becoming a reality," he added.