Lead pollution

A variety of pollutants affect our air quality. In recent years many chemicals have been identified as being harmful to human health. In the mid-1980’s, lead was shown to damage children’s intelligence.

Air quality over England and Wales - lead

Production and industrial processes are now the main source of lead emissions following legislative control of lead in petrol. Before leaded petrol was banned in the UK, lead primarily affected air quality in urban areas and along heavily travelled motorways. The greatest concentrations occurred over London. The 2004 objective (0.5µg/m3 annual average) is likely to be complied with.

The only sites currently exceeding the 2004 objective are near a small number of secondary non-ferrous metal smelters.

By 2005 virtually all urban and roadside sites are expected to meet the 2008 objective set by the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (0.25µg/m3). The reduced use of leaded petrol has made lead a local rather than a national problem.