Emmisions kills more people than accidents says study

Emissions from vehicles and powerplants cause 13,000 premature deaths in the UK each year, MIT scientists have discovered.

• Car and truck exhaust fumes was the single greatest contributor to premature deaths

• Emissions that migrate to the UK from elsewhere in Europe cause an extra 6,000 early deaths each year

• More people are killed by road emissions than road accidents each year

In northern Scotland almost all air pollution comes from the rest of Europe, the researchers said.

Steven Barrett, assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT, said: “People have a number of risk factors in their life. Air pollution is another risk factor. And it can be significant, especially for people who live in cities.”

The study was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.