Yahoo Finance Set legally binding pollution targets to prevent children dying unnecessarily, Government urged
Landmark ruling: Ella Kissi-Debrah died in 2013 from an asthma attack. An inquest listed air pollution as a cause of death
(PA Wire)The Government has been urged to set tougher legally binding pollution targets by the coroner in an inquest into a nine-year-old girl who died from an asthma attack after being exposed to toxic air.
Philip Barlow, assistant coroner for Inner South London, ruled in a landmark second inquest last year that air pollution contributed to the death of Ella Kissi-Debrah.
In a report to prevent future deaths, he said legally binding targets for particulate matter in line with World Health Organisation guidelines would reduce the number of deaths from air pollution in the UK and the Government should take action to address the issue.
He also said greater public awareness of air pollution information would help individuals reduce their personal exposure.
Responding to the report, Ella’s mother Rosamund Kissi-Debrah called on the Government to act on the recommendations in the coroner’s report, warning “children are dying unnecessarily because the Government is not doing enough to combat air pollution”.
Ella, who lived near the South Circular Road in Lewisham, died in 2013.
She became the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death.
Read More
Former children’s commissioner launches legal claim against TikTok
Police raid County Lines operation to ‘free children from drug debts’
£15bn funding boost ‘needed in education to help pupils catch up’
