Councillor accuses Department of ‘failing miserably’ to tackle pollution

The criticism comes after DAERA announced changes to the Department’s High Air Pollution Alert Protocol.

Speaking last Monday, Environment Minister Edwin Poots MLA said the updated system would make better use of social media platforms to disseminate information about high levels of air pollution to the public.

Minister Poots said interest in the quality of the air the public breathe has “grown massively” over recent years.

He added: “The improvement of this alert system allows people with underlying health issues such as heart and lung conditions, or asthma to get more localised information when they need it.”

However, Green Party councillor Simon Lee said the public ‘deserved better’, accusing the Department of Health and DEARA of failing to deal with the problem of pollution.

“The idea of an app which allows people to decide whether the air is too toxic for them to go outside and breathe is textbook dealing with the symptom of the problem rather than the root cause,” he added.

“Is a light touch technological solution like this going to address or reverse in any way the devastating impact that air pollution has on public health, and the urgent need for a clean air strategy?

“We know that approximately 500 people die prematurely from conditions related to toxic air every year across Northern Ireland and that deprived communities in urban areas are disproportionately impacted.

“I am not convinced an app will do much to reverse that trend.

“Air pollution has been linked to respiratory and cardiac conditions, dementia and more recently mental health conditions.

“There is also growing evidence that air pollution can be passed across the placenta, potentially causing premature birth.

“The Department has failed to develop and implement a Clean Air Strategy and initiatives like this are no substitute.

“To date, usage of the app has been quite low, with reports of an average of two people a day using it.

“The app is reported to have cost 30k to develop, and has ongoing maintenance costs, which raises serious concerns about value for money.

“The department can do better, and frankly people across Northern Ireland deserve better than this.

“The vision should be building healthier, happier communities, not apps telling people to stay inside to avoid toxic air, with no sign a tangible strategy to address it,” he concluded.