24,000 Die each year from Air Pollution in UK
April 8, 2010 12:00 AM
By David Chappell in EADT/BFP
By David Chappell in EADT/BFP
With 24,000 people in this country dying each year due to air pollution John Culverwell show casual disregard to the fate of British Citizens when he calls for withdrawal from the EU (EADT 27/3/10). Britain cannot deal with pollution on its own and wind, rain, and tide pay no regard to the political boundaries that divide countries.
Last year the EU countries worked together passing legislation requiring petrol companies to capture and recycle the cancer causing benzene in the vapourised fuel that escapes into the atmosphere when we fill our petrol tanks. This ground level ozone could not be stopped by just Britain working alone.
In addition European countries agreed new rules on pesticide use in the rural areas with more emphasis on pest control and plant protection strategies designed to promote natural control mechanisms.
Through the EU the countries have agreed new legislation on light bulbs that will reduce electricity use by 12% across the continent. Measures that will save us money, while reducing CO2 emissions by 32 million tonnes.
There are just 12,000 factories in the EU that produce half the continent's CO2 emissions. Working alone Britain would only be able to deal with those factories in the UK, working with countries in the EU we managed to gain common standards and a commitments that will reduce CO2 emissions by 2020 saving lives and improving health in Britain.
The North Sea fishing stocks had been devastated by a combination of over fishing and pollutants pouring into the North Sea from rivers in Northern Europe never mind the risk from oil and gas. There is more sea in the EU than land and most of our trade is done by shipping passing by our shores we need to make sure these offshore vessels don't pollute our beaches, but we can't legislate alone for vessels in international waters. So this why the countries of the EU get together to agree common legislation.
The election in the UK is not just about the UK. It is about our place in the world and whether you want people who can work with others for the common good running this country, or the 'Yahboo' politics more commonly seen across the dispatch box, and Neil Farange yelling personal insults in Brussels.
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