Toxic air 'claiming 30,000 lives a year' say leading doctors

Air pollution negatively affects almost every organ in the body and around 30,000 UK deaths will be linked to toxic air in 2025, according to a new report from leading doctors.

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The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said that there is "no safe level" of air pollutants as it warned that around 99% of the UK population are breathing in "toxic air".

Exposure to air pollution can shorten people's lives by 1.8 years, which is "just behind some of the leading causes of death and disease worldwide", including cancer and smoking, the authors wrote.

The report highlights some new research findings about air pollution and ill health over the last decade, including that even if low concentrations, air pollution can have impacts on foetal development, cancer, heart disease, stroke, mental health conditions and dementia.

The report also highlights how air pollution is estimated to have an economic cost of £27billion a year in healthcare costs and productivity losses.

This figure would be significantly higher-up to £50billion - if wider impacts such as dementia are taken into account.

The college has called for ambitious action from the Government to tackle the issue, as it urged ministers to "recognise air pollution as a key public health issue".