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Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants

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Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) is a group of scientific experts who provide independent and authoritative advice to the UK government on the health effects of air pollution.[1] Its core members are typically senior academics or professionals drawn from fields such as atmospheric chemistry, environmental health, epidemiology, and toxicology; a single lay member helps to ensure the committee's technical work is accessible to the public.

Activities

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COMEAP's periodic reports often make headline news on issues such as how many people die from air pollution,[2][3] and the connections between air pollution and disease.[4] In 2001, COMEAP warned that long-term exposure to particulates increases risk of premature death, especially from cardiovascular disease.[5] One of its recent reports, issued in 2022, reviewed almost 70 epidemiological studies and concluded that air pollution is likely to increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in older people.[6]

The committee has also reported on the relative risks of breathing air pollution in different situations. In January 2019, for example, it reported that pollution from particulates is up to 30 times higher on the London Underground than on streets in the roads above, with the Northern Line having the worst air quality.[7][8]

The committee also advises on how to best communicate air pollution risks to the public (such as through the 1–10 point warning scale used in London) and how people should change their behaviour when air pollution levels are high.[9]

Reports

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COMEAP has issued numerous reports on air pollution and health, including:

  • Asthma and Outdoor Air Pollution (1995)
  • Non-Biological Particles and Health (1995)
  • The Quantification of the Effects of Air Pollution on Health in the United Kingdom (1998)
  • Guidance on the Effects on Health of Indoor Air Pollutants (2001)
  • Cardiovascular Disease and Air Pollution (2006)
  • Review of the UK Air Quality Index (2011)
  • Quantification of Mortality and Hospital Admissions associated with Ground-level Ozone (2015)
  • Long-term Exposure to Air Pollution and Chronic Bronchitis (2016)
  • Nitrogen Dioxide (2018)
  • Mortality effects of Long-term Exposure to Air Pollution in the UK (2018)
  • Long-term Exposure to Air Pollution (2018)
  • Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease (2018)
  • Air Pollution: Cognitive Decline and Dementia (2022)

Membership

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COMEAP's current chair is Anna Hansell; previous chairs have included Frank J Kelly, Jon Ayres, and Sir Stephen Holgate. Other members have included Roy M. Harrison, Jonathan Grigg, David Newby, H. Ross Anderson, Peter Burney, and Deborah Jarvis.[10][11][12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants". gov.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  2. ^ Date, Will (22 August 2018). "COMEAP updates estimates on UK air pollution deaths". Air Quality News. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  3. ^ Boseley, Sarah (2 April 2015). "Air pollution may cause more UK deaths than previously thought, say scientists". Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  4. ^ Bawden, Tom (30 October 2018). "Scientists confirm for the first time that air pollution causes heart disease and stroke". iNews. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Health experts warn of dangers of air pollution". Birmingham Evening Mail (England). 4 May 2001. p. 8.
  6. ^ "Air pollution is 'likely' to raise dementia risk, find UK government expert". The Guardian. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  7. ^ Finnis, Alex (10 January 2019). "One hour on the tube is as toxic as standing next to a busy road for an entire day". iNews.
  8. ^ Oglesby, Kate (12 January 2019). "Dust and air pollution higher on Northern Line than any other part of the Underground". The Times.
  9. ^ "Mayor of London issues high pollution alert". Mayor of London. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  10. ^ "Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants". gov.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP)". The National Archives. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Members". Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP). COMEAP. Archived from the original on 15 November 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
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