Research finds no ‘clear’ proof controversial ULEZ zones slash rates of lung conditions

Research into low emission zone schemes in the UK and around the world has found no strong evidence that they improve lung conditions – one of the main reasons given for the schemes’ introduction.

A study by Imperial College London looked at measures aimed at drivers including congestion charging zones and low emission zones.

Congestion charging zones were found to reduce traffic injuries.

The authors stressed that the latest research did not include analysis of the impact of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which was brought in in 2019, and will expand to cover Greater London later this year.

In 16 studies of zones across the world, including London, Berlin and Tokyo, the authors said that low emission zones did not show a ‘clear’ reduction in respiratory diseases – although the zones did reduce heart conditions. The scheme is meant to improve air quality for purposes of public health and has broadly been welcomed by medical experts and and charities

Sadiq Khan has made a controversial decision to widen the ULEZ scheme in London to cover all 32 boroughs from late August. Later this year motorists will be slapped with a £12.50 daily fee for using their vehicle within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, unless they meet the required emissions standards

But it did look at the forerunner scheme, the Low Emission Zone which covers heavy diesel vehicles driving in London

The authors said: ‘While none of the studies showed an increase in respiratory disease associated with LEZs, only two studies found LEZ-associated reductions in any respiratory disease outcomes.’

Supporters of low emission zones often state the measures will reduce respiratory conditions such as asthma and lung diseases.

The authors did find, however, there was a decline in measures of heart disease–associated with LEZs.

What are the London ULEZ required emissions standards?

To meet the ULEZ emissions standard in London, all vehicles must meet the required Euro emissions standard for their vehicle and emission type.

The ULEZ standards are:

• Euro 3 for motorcycles, mopeds, motorised tricycles and quadricycles (L category)

• Euro 4 (NOx) for petrol cars, vans, minibuses and other specialist vehicles

• Euro 6 (NOx and PM) for diesel cars, vans and minibuses and other specialist vehicles

It also found an overall reduction in road traffic injuries associated with CCZs, following their introduction.

In the systematic review of the available empirical evidence on the measured health impacts of these interventions in major cities, the Imperial team looked analysed findings from 16 studies on LEZs and CCZs which included suitable measures of health outcomes.

Eight of the studies assessed LEZs (published between 2011-2022), with four focused on German cities, two on Japan (Tokyo), one on Italy (Milan), and one on UK (London).

The remaining eight studies assessed CCZs, and were published between 2005 and 2021.

Reviewing the available evidence for LEZs, they found the majority of studies that looked at cardiovascular disease showed an LEZ-associated reduction in one or more cardiovascular outcome, such as a 4.6 per cent reduction in high blood pressure in Germany, and a 11 per cent reduction in cardiovascular deaths in Japan.

The authors said they did not include other effects of such zones on congestion, residents’ quality of life, or long-term disease development but said ‘these effects probably strengthen arguments for such schemes.’

Dr Anthony Laverty, Senior Lecturer within the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, said: ‘We know air and noise pollution associated with road traffic can have harmful impacts on cardiovascular health, such as through increased blood pressure, impacting sleep, and directly through small particles being inhaled into the lungs.

‘While interventions such as LEZs can go some way to reducing these impacts, measuring their impact on health outcomes is difficult.

‘Here, we bring together measures of health outcomes from multiple sources to show that overall, LEZs and CCZs can bring about direct benefits to public health, with a demonstrable reduction in cardiovascular disease outcomes and road traffic injuries.’

The majority of available evidence for congestion charging zones focused on London, with analysis showing an overall reduction in road traffic injuries, mainly involving cars, associated with the introduction of the CCZ.

One report comparing the London CCZ to other major cities in England found a that having a congestion charge zone-led to a decrease of 5.3 per cent in total car incidents, including slight, and severe or fatal injuries.

The same study also found evidence suggesting the introduction of the CCZ in London was associated with increases in minor bicycle-related injuries, and motorcycle-related injuries and deaths.

The research was published in Lancet Public Health.

WHAT HAVE RECENT STUDIES SHOWN POLLUTION CAN DO TO OUR HEALTH AND BODIES?

CAUSE CHILDREN TO HAVE A LOW IQ: Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found in May 2019 that children born to mothers who live in polluted areas have an IQ that is up to seven points lower than those living in places with cleaner air.

CAUSE CHILDREN TO HAVE POORER MEMORY: Researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health found boys exposed to greater levels of PM2.5 in the womb performed worse on memory tests by the time they are 10.

DELAY THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN: Youngsters who live less than one-third of a mile away from busy roads are twice as likely to score lower on tests of communication skills in infancy, found researchers at Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health in April. They were also more likely to have poorer hand-eye coordination.

MAKE CHILDREN MORE ANXIOUS: University of Cincinnati scientists claimed pollution may alter the structure of children’s brains to make them more anxious. Their study of 14 youngsters found rates of anxiety was higher among those exposed to greater levels of pollution.

CUT YOUR CHILD’S LIFE SHORT: Children born today will lose nearly two years of their lives because of air pollution, according to a report by the US-based Health Effects Institute and the University of British Columbia in April 2019. UNICEF called for action on the back of the study.

RAISE A CHILD’S RISK OF AUTISM: Researchers at Monash University in Australia discovered youngsters living in highly polluted parts of Shanghai have a 86 per cent greater chance of developing ASD. Lead author Dr Yuming Guo said: ‘The developing brains of young children are more vulnerable to toxic exposures in the environment.’

CAUSE ASTHMA IN CHILDREN: Four million children around the world develop asthma each year because of road traffic pollution, a major study by academics at George Washington University estimated. Experts are divided as to what causes asthma – but exposure to pollution in childhood increases the risk by damaging the lungs.

MAKE CHILDREN FAT: University of Southern California experts found last November that 10 year olds who lived in polluted areas when they were babies are, on average, 2.2lbs (1kg), heavier than those who grew up around cleaner air. Nitrogen dioxide pollution could disrupt how well children burn fat, the scientists said.

LEAVE WOMEN INFERTILE EARLIER: Scientists at the University of Modena, Italy, claimed in May 2019 that they believe pollution speeds up ageing in women, just like smoking, meaning they run out of eggs faster. This was based on them finding almost two-thirds of women who have a low ‘reserve’ of eggs regularly inhaled toxic air.

RAISE THE RISK OF A MISCARRIAGE: University of Utah scientists found in January that pregnant women are 16 per cent more likely to suffer the heartbreak of a miscarriage if they live in areas of high pollution.

RAISE THE RISK OF BREAST CANCER: Scientists at the University of Stirling found six women working at the same bridge next to a busy road in the US got breast cancer within three years of each other. There was a one in 10,000 chance the cases were a coincidence, the study said. It suggested chemicals in the traffic fumes caused the cancer by shutting down the BRCA genes, which try to stop tumours growing.

DAMAGE A MAN’S SPERM: Brazilian scientists at the University of Sao Paulo found in March that mice exposed to toxic air had lower counts and worse quality sperm compared to those who had inhaled clean air since birth.

MAKE MEN LESS LIKELY TO GET SEXUALLY AROUSED: Scientists at Guangzhou Medical University in China found rats exposed to air pollution struggled to get sexually aroused. Scientists believe it may also affect men, as inhaling poisonous particles may trigger inflammation in blood vessels and starve the genitals of oxygen – affecting men’s ability to become sexually aroused.

MAKE MEN MORE LIKELY TO HAVE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION: Men who live on main roads are more likely to have difficulty getting an erection due to exposure to pollution, a Guangzhou University in China study suggested in February. Toxic fumes reduced blood flow to the genitals, tests on rats showed, putting them at risk of developing erectile dysfunction.

RAISE THE RISK OF PSYCHOSIS: In March, King’s College London scientists linked toxic air to intense paranoia and hearing voices in young people for the first time. They said uncovering exactly how pollution may lead to psychosis should be an ‘urgent health priority’.

MAKE YOU DEPRESSED: Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers found in January that that the more polluted the air, the sadder we are. Their study was based on analysing social media users in China alongside the average daily PM2.5 concentration and weather data where they lived.

CAUSE DEMENTIA: Air pollution could be responsible for 60,000 cases of dementia in the UK, researchers from King’s College London and St George’s, University of London, calculated last September. Tiny pollutants breathed deep into the lungs and enter the blood stream, where they may travel into the brain and cause inflammation – a problem which may trigger dementia.

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