An inquest into south-London asthmatic girl's death recommends tougher air pollution targets

The Government has been urged to set tougher legally binding pollution targets by the coroner in an inquest into a nine-year-old girl who died of a fatal asthma attack after being exposed to toxic air.

Philip Barlow, assistant coroner for Inner South London, ruled in a landmark second inquest last year that air pollution contributed to the death of nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah from an asthma attack.

In a report to prevent future deaths, he said legally binding targets for particulate matter in line with World Health Organisation guidelines would reduce the number of deaths from air pollution in the UK and the Government should take action to address the issue.

He also said greater public awareness of air pollution information would help individuals reduce their personal exposure, and warned the adverse effects of pollutants were not being sufficiently communicated to patients and their carers by medical staff

Responding to the report, Ella's mother Rosamund Kissi-Debrah called on the Government to act on the recommendations in the coroner's report, warning "children are dying unnecessarily because the Government is not doing enough to combat air pollution''.

Responding to the coroner's prevention of future deaths report in the case of Ella Kissi-Debrah, a Government spokesperson said:

"Our thoughts continue to be with Ella's family and friends.

"We are delivering a #3.8 billion plan to clean up transport and tackle NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) pollution and going further in protecting communities from air pollution, particularly PM2.5 (particulate matter), which is especially harmful to human health.

"Through our landmark Environment Bill, we are also setting ambitious new air quality targets, with a focus on reducing public health impacts.

"We will carefully consider the recommendations in the report and respond in due course. ''

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