Council leaders call for greater powers to avoid ￡300 million in European pollution fines

摘要

Unless greater powers are given to councils to help tackle pollution, the UK will face up to ￡300 million in fines from the European Union (EU) in less than 1 8 months and up to 36,000 more people will die prematurely, Council Leaders heard at a conference held by LACORS (Local Authority Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services), Defra and the Department for Transport.rnStringent anti-pollution legislation was passed in Brussels in 1996, which most European governments failed to meet in 2005. The Government has applied for an extension until 2011 and if the UK does not meet the targets then the Government, and therefore taxpayers, will face a bill of up to ￡300 million. It is estimated that more than 24,000 people in the UK were killed by air pollution in 2005. If this trend continues then up to 36,000 more people could die.