In July 2021, around 15 major areas in London were identified as having abnormally high levels of toxic air. A campaign group revealed that these sites had high nitrogen dioxide levels, which was quite unusual given that there was a significant decrease in road traffic at the height of the pandemic.
The group also expressed their support for Mayor Sadiq Khan’s quest for a “diesel-free” city through the ULEZ or Ultra Low Emission Zone expansion, which became effective in October last year. The ULEZ is a 24-hour, seven days a week emissions standard implemented in the North and South Circular Roads (except for A406 and A205). If a vehicle does not follow the emissions standard, they need to pay a fee every time they are inside the ULEZ.
One of Mayor Khan’s goals for creating the ULEZ is to help create a safer, cleaner, and (ultimately) diesel-free city for children.
Aside from the ULEZ, the London mayor also added around £5 million in funding for the scrappage scheme for residents with disabilities and low income. It allows these residents to afford switching their old, highly polluting vehicles with cleaner ones that adhere to the ULEZ standards.
Poor air quality is a big problem in London; it has been for several years now.
How poor air quality endangers lives and environments
A study conducted in 2020 revealed that toxic air increases the risks of stillbirth and premature delivery among pregnant women in their first and second trimesters. The research specifically focused on PM2.5 particulates and O3 or ground-level ozone, which form after nitrogen oxide (NOx) react with stagnant air and sunlight. NOx is responsible for the formation of smog and acid rain (aside from O3). It usually comes from burned fossil fuels and vehicle exhausts.
Researchers discovered that pregnant women who were exposed to highly polluted air on a long-term basis are more susceptible to problems and complications such as premature delivery and stillbirths. Although the level of risk is not as high as that of smoking, it is still a major concern because it involves childbirth.
Children are also at risk as they grow up exposed to toxic air. Data collected from 2019 reports indicated that a large population of children attend school in areas with the highest levels of air pollution, way over the WHO legal limit. This has resulted in thousands of children being sent to hospitals for respiratory conditions such as asthma year after year. As per city hall records, around 3.1 million school kids breathe in polluted air every day.
What the Government is doing
Aside from the mayor’s expanded ULEZ and the scrappage program, there are other projects that the government is undertaking. For example, in several areas in London, there are NO2 (nitrogen dioxide, which is found in nitrogen oxides) warning signs stencilled on pavements. These are specifically for locations with high levels of toxic air.
Additionally, the whole of England has Clean Air Zones, which are the equivalent of London’s ULEZ. If a vehicle with high levels of toxic emissions enters the clean air zone, it will be charged a certain fee.
Despite all these programs and schemes, parents are hoping for better, more efficient solutions to the toxic air problem. After all, Mayor Khan describes it as a national health crisis that affects children and can cause premature deaths. It’s a national health issue that has been in the spotlight long before the Dieselgate scandal erupted.
The Dieselgate scandal
Dieselgate refers to an emissions scandal in 2015 that involved German car manufacturer Volkswagen. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discovered that the automaker installed defeat devices or cheat software that illegally reduces NOx emission levels during emissions testing. When driven outside the lab, in real-world road conditions, the levels far exceeded the legal limit.
The VW Dieselgate scandal eventually made its way to London and the rest of Europe. Other car manufacturers were implicated after several months, one of them being Mercedes-Benz, another German automaker.
Aside from its negative effects on the environment, NOx can also affect human health. Continuous exposure to nitrogen oxides can cause several health issues, such as aggravated asthma, lung disease, heart conditions, and in severe cases, early death. This is why Mercedes-Benz car owners have been filing for emission compensation throughout the years.
A Dieselgate compensation claim is intended to help car owners get back what their manufacturers stole from them after lying about the defeat devices.
How to file my diesel claim
If you are one of the thousands of car owners affected by the Mercedes emissions scandal, you can file a claim with the help of a team of highly experienced and trained solicitors. With years and years of successful cases under their belt, this is what the panel of solicitors at ClaimExperts.co.uk can do for you. They will work with you in coming up with a legal plan of action to get back what you are owed. Discover if you can claim today by using their eligibility form.