Heathrow expansion would lead to more pollution deaths
A third runway at Heathrow would lead to significantly more early deaths from pollution according to a new study by US university MIT.
It suggests that Heathrow aviation pollution causes about 50 early deaths a year and that the number may rise to 150 if a third runway is built.
But the research showed if Heathrow closed and an airport was built in the Thames Estuary, there would be 50 deaths annually, reports the BBC.
The report’s lead author, Steve Barrett from MIT, said an estuary airport would reduce early deaths by 60% because the weather conditions would expose fewer people to pollution.
He told the BBC: "Because of the location of the [Thames estuary] airport, such an airport would be further away from major population centres so fewer people would be exposed to pollution from that airport.
"Another important factor is the winds in London are south-westerly, so towards the north-east, so pollution from Heathrow gets blown over London.
"If you instead had an airport in the Thames Estuary, that pollution would get blown over the English Channel and North Sea," he added.
The research claims that about 110 people in the UK die early every year "due to airport emissions". Of these deaths, about 50 are directly due to emissions from Heathrow.
By 2030, without airport expansion, the number of early deaths from airport emissions across the UK is projected to more than double to 250. Of those, 110 could be from Heathrow, the report continues.
If a third runway was built, the study – written in collaboration with Cambridge University – warns that the estimated figures for Heathrow could rise from 110 to 150.
But aviation experts say the study does not give the full picture because passengers would need to travel to a more remote airport, and that could also cause pollution.
A commission chaired by ex-Financial Services Authority boss Sir Howard Davies to examine ways to expand airport capacity will report in 2015, leaving the decision to the next government.
Diane
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